It’s often difficult to imagine about stars – about film stars or about world famous singers –, they have weekdays and they have everyday problems, too. The Hungarian world stars are principally in the field of the music. Eva Marton has been a top diva for more than two decades. Her name is a trademark of the great international stages. Has a perpetually travelling soprano, who spends a great part of her time in hotels and in planes, ever cooked in a kitchen? Has she got any time for walking and for window-shopping for pleasure? If she needs something, does she go to a shop with a shopping bag? Where does she go to a hair-dresser? I bombarded Eva Marton with such questions. The diva lives in the same hotel suite when she is in Budapest. From the window we see the most wonderful panorama of Budapest and while Eva Marton is talking about her life, her husband, Dr. Zoltán Marton is selecting photos on my request. Although they arrived late at night from Berlin, where Eva Marton sang Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Ring-cycle, her face is as fresh and blooming as after a holiday.
- It’s only an illusion and this is due to my excellent cosmetician – the diva smiles –, because recently I was 14 hours daily on the stage, which was a great physical achievement. I was asked also by others, how I take care of my skin that I never look drawn and exhausted. I’m a faithful person, I have gone to the same cosmetician in Wien for twenty years and I use only my well-tried cosmetics. I have to smear a lot of makeup over my face occasionally, so I take care of my skin very much.
- You turn in several places of the world. Have You got favorite shops? Or if You would like to do shop, You ask somebody else?
- I have regular places and I like shopping very much. But I don’t go to supermarkets. Everything is so impersonal there. I like if the people recognize me and the salesman continues our talking where we finished it a half yearbefore and he or she asks how I am and tells about his or her family’s problem. I would like talking very much with the people. Everywhere I have very close friends. Some of them, who can do it, go to my performances, too.
- Do You have any permanent address?
- I have a flat in Monte Carlo. There is peace and tranquility there, there isn’t any intrusive car in front of my window, I see only the infinite sea. I put on gym-shoes, I do gymnastics and I relax. When I can do, sometimes for 4-5 days, I always spend my free time there with my husband. While our children were little, I had to map out my time in that way that I didn’t fritter my absences. After my long performance-series, I was at home for a long time. Now both my son and my daughter live independently and we are together again with my husband after the many divisions like when we were a newly married couple. It’s wonderful, that I could go to sleep and I could wake with his smiling eyes.
- What is Your opinion about this wonderful confession? – I turn to Dr. Zoltán Marton.
- Such a love unites us, without which we couldn’t do this way, what Eva has done.
- You were such a star in Your profession like Eva in the operatic world. You were well-known as a surgeon in three countries. Do You miss Your work? Don’t You feel yourself in the background beside Your wife? – I continued to interrogate Dr. Zoltán Marton, who is the president of the Interconcert and the secretary and the manager of his wife.
- I practiced through 30 years. We were compelled to go in different ways, but I have always helped Eva. I was very proud of her every success. I didn’t get married with a world star, but, I can tell it, we “had grown up” together. I think it’s natural that I help her to unburden her everyday problems, with which she doesn’t have to deal.
- He maintains my finances, – Eva Marton interposes a remark – it’s better, I’m not cut out for this. He knows exactly how other persons are important for me. I have always had a very strong social sensibility: I try to support good causes. I almost always sing gratis at home, in Hungary. For example recently I offered my fee to the Opera Friends Association.
- The cooking plays a very important role in the most women’s life. Do You often cook and when?
- We live also here in an apartment, which contains a kitchen. If You love somebody very much like I love my husband, for him You prepare the food gladly, with love. Both of us have to take care very much, what we eat. For example I have recently managed to lose 8 kg after a very hard and serious diet.
- If You’ll decide to finish Your career in the future, where would You like to settle down for good and all?
- Of course, at home, in Budapest. When I made my first contract in abroad in 1972, I knew, I can have a great career only in the world. But I also know, if I’ll retire, I wouldn’t like to secede from the operatic world. And it’s also sure that I would like to deal with social issues. I don’t know exactly yet, what will be my field, but I believe that I have plenty of time to think over it.
- Eva has a great problem – her husband interrupts her. She becomes almost ill if she couldn’t work. This year, on the occasion of semi-centenary of Bartók’s death, she has undertaken many appearances in many countries for the propagation of Béla Bartók’s music. For the time being she isn’t allowed to retire: the date of her furthest performance is in 2000.
Judit Máté
(Képes Újság. Vol. XXXVI., No. 46., November 18, 1995.)