Edmund Eysler |
Edmund Eysler [Eisler]
Austrian Composer : b Vienna 12 March 1874: d. Vienna 4 October 1949.
Eisler struggled to make a career as a serious
composer in his early years, supporting himself through teaching
piano, before a well-meaning relative arranged an introduction to
the librettist Ignatz Schnitzer (who had written the book for Der
Zigeunerbaron). Schnitzer gave Eysler a book he had originally
intended for Strauss to set, Der Hexenspiegel, and although
the publisher Weinberger accepted the resulting work, he could not
place it with any theatre. He did suggest Eysler use much of the
musical material to fashion a new operetta, and this became the
very successful Brüder Straubinger. Eysler's subsequent
operettas were very popular in Germany and Austria, but their rather
'folksy' Viennese character mitigated against their achieving the
international success his contemporaries enjoyed. Der Lachende
Ehemann (1913), Hanni, geht tanzen (1916) and Die
gold'ne Meisterin (1927) are his best-known other works.
Eysler's music was suppressed during the Nazi regime because of
his Jewish origin. Surprisingly, he did not emigrate during the
war, but was hidden and protected by his family and friends throughout
the period to 1945. His last few years brought him renewed recognition
in Vienna, where he was a loved and respected figure.
Stage Works
- Schlaraffenland (Ballet) - 1899
- Der Hexenspiegel (Opera) - 1900
- Bruder Straubinger (Operetta; 3 Acts; Book by
Sigmund Schlesinger; Lyrics by Ignatz Schnitzer);
Theater an der Wien 20 February 1903
- Pufferl (Amor di Principe) (Operetta; 3 Acts;
Book and lyrics by Ignatz Schnitzer and Sigmund
Schlesinger); Theater an der Wein 10 February 1905
- Die Schützenliesl (Operetta; 3 Acts; Book
and Lyrics by Leo Stein and C. Lindau); Carltheater 20
October 1906
- Vera Violetta (Musical Entertainment in 2
Acts; Book and lyrics by Leo Stein) Apollo Theater 30
November 1907
- Künsterblut (The Love Cure) (Musical
Romance in 3 Acts; Book and lyrics by Leo Stein and Karl
Lindau)
- Der Freunfresser (The Women Haters) (Operetta;
3 Acts; Book and lyrics by Leo Stein and Karl Lindau);
Bürgertheater 23 December 1911
- Der lachende Ebemann (The Laughing Husband) (comedy operetta; 3 Act; Book and lyrics by Julius
Brammer and Alfred Grünwald); Bürgertheatre 19
March 1913
- Ein Tag im Paradies (The Blue Paradise) (operetta; 3 Act; Book and lyrics by Leo Stein and
Béla Jenbach); Bürgertheater 23 December
1913
- Die gold'ne Meisterin (operetta; 3 Act; Book
and lyrics by Julius Brammer and Alfred Grünwald);
Theater an der Wein 13 September 1927