Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Germany

Birth

:

October 23, 1801 in Berlin, Germany

Death

:

January 21, 1851 in Berlin, Germany

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Opera

 

Albert Lortzing was a German composer, singer, and actor who lived from 1801 to 1851. He was born in Berlin to a family of actors and musicians, and he began his career as a child actor. However, he soon turned to music, studying with the composer Bernhard Klein and the singer Johann Nepomuk Hummel. Lortzing's early works were primarily operettas and Singspiele, which were popular forms of light opera in Germany at the time. His first major success came in 1837 with the premiere of his opera Zar und Zimmermann (Tsar and Carpenter), which tells the story of Peter the Great's visit to Holland in disguise. The opera was a huge success and remains one of Lortzing's most popular works. Over the next decade, Lortzing continued to compose operas, including Der Wildschütz (The Poacher), Undine, and Der Waffenschmied (The Armourer). These works were all successful in their day, but they have not remained as popular as Zar und Zimmermann. Lortzing's music is characterized by its tunefulness, its lightness, and its sense of humor. He was a master of the Singspiel form, which combined spoken dialogue with musical numbers, and his works often feature comic situations and characters. In addition to his work as a composer, Lortzing was also a successful singer and actor. He performed in many of his own works, and he was known for his ability to play a wide range of characters, from comic buffoons to serious heroes. He was also a skilled conductor, and he often conducted the premieres of his own works. Lortzing's career was cut short by his early death at the age of 50. He died of a stroke in Berlin in 1851, leaving behind a legacy of popular and tuneful operas that continue to be performed today. One of Lortzing's most famous works is Zar und Zimmermann, which premiered in Leipzig in 1837. The opera tells the story of Peter the Great's visit to Holland in disguise, and it features a number of comic situations and characters. The music is light and tuneful, with many memorable melodies and catchy tunes. The opera's most famous aria is "Sonst spielt'ich mit Zepter, mit Krone und Stern" ("Once I played with scepter, crown, and star"), which is sung by Peter as he reflects on his life as a carpenter. Another of Lortzing's popular works is Der Wildschütz, which premiered in Leipzig in 1842. The opera tells the story of a poacher who falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy landowner. The music is again light and tuneful, with many memorable melodies and catchy tunes. The opera's most famous aria is "Ich bin die Christel von der Post" ("I am Christel from the post office"), which is sung by the heroine as she reflects on her love for the poacher. Lortzing's Undine, which premiered in Berlin in 1845, is based on the fairy tale of the same name. The opera tells the story of a water nymph who falls in love with a mortal man. The music is again light and tuneful, with many memorable melodies and catchy tunes. The opera's most famous aria is "Hört ihr nicht die Wälder rauschen" ("Do you not hear the rustling of the woods"), which is sung by the heroine as she laments her fate as a water nymph. Lortzing's final opera, Der Waffenschmied, premiered in Vienna in 1846. The opera tells the story of a young blacksmith who falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The music is again light and tuneful, with many memorable melodies and catchy tunes.

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