Max Maretzek
Encyclopedia
Max Maretzek was a Moravia
n-born composer, conductor, and impresario
active in the United States
and Latin America
.
, now in the Czech Republic
, he graduated from Vienna University and studied medicine for two years, at the same time taking a course in music and composition under Seyfried
. He had breathed a musical atmosphere from his youth, and finally decided to devote himself wholly to its pursuit. The Emperor of Austria became interested in him, as did von Bülow, Wagner, Liszt, Offenbach and Strauss. In 1843 his first opera, Hamlet, was produced at Brunn. He played the violin
in orchestra
s in both Germany
and England
. He then travelled through Germany, France, and England, as an orchestral conductor, and in 1844 settled in London as assistant to Michael William Balfe
at Her Majesty's Theatre
.
. In 1849 he began his career as an impresario at the same house with an opera company of his own which included most of Fry's artists. Between 1848 and 1850, he produced L'Elisir d'Amore
, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, I Puritani
, Belisario
, Ernani
, Otello
, Maria di Rohan
, Don Pasquale
, and Der Freischütz
. During the summer of 1850 Maretzek produced opera in Castle Garden, New York, producing Luisa Miller
for the first time in America. The Academy of Music was opened in 1854 with Giulia Grisi
and Giuseppe Mario under Maretzek. In 1855, Il Trovatore
was produced by him, also for the first time in America, with Pasquale Brignoli as Manrico. He suffered a temporary setback with the arrival of Jenny Lind
to America, as he lost audiences to her concerts. In 1856 Maretzek started an opposition to Niblo's Garden
, with Clara Louise Kellogg
. Adelaide Phillips
, Pasquale Brignoli, and others. The competition was strong and neither side prospered. Although Maretzek brought out Giorgio Ronconi
, one of the greatest baritones, he was driven to Philadelphia. In 1860 he returned to the Astor Place Opera House, and worked at Niblo's Garden in New York, the Crosby's Opera House in Chicago, and in Mexico
and Havana
.
In 1889, his golden jubilee as opera director was held. The celebration was attended by such notables as Theodore Thomas, Anton Seidl
, Frank van der Stucken
, Adolf Neuendorff
and Walter Damrosch.
Maretzek has been described as being possessed of a violent personality, dictatorial and intransigent, and was frequently in disagreement with members of his company and with critics. As a composer, he wrote two operas, Hamlet in 1843 and Sleepy Hollow in 1879. The first was produced in Germany, the second in the United States. He also wrote two volumes of memoirs, Crotchets and Quavers (1885) and Sharps and Flats (1890). He died in Pleasant Plains, Staten Island
, New York in 1897.
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
n-born composer, conductor, and impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
active in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
European career
Born in BrnoBrno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, now in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, he graduated from Vienna University and studied medicine for two years, at the same time taking a course in music and composition under Seyfried
Ignaz von Seyfried
Ignaz Xaver Ritter von Seyfried was an Austrian musician, conductor and composer.Seyfried was born in Vienna. According to a statement in his handwritten memoirs he was a pupil of both Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Albrechtsberger. He published Albrechtsberger's complete written works after...
. He had breathed a musical atmosphere from his youth, and finally decided to devote himself wholly to its pursuit. The Emperor of Austria became interested in him, as did von Bülow, Wagner, Liszt, Offenbach and Strauss. In 1843 his first opera, Hamlet, was produced at Brunn. He played the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
in orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s in both Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He then travelled through Germany, France, and England, as an orchestral conductor, and in 1844 settled in London as assistant to Michael William Balfe
Michael William Balfe
Michael William Balfe was an Irish composer, best-remembered for his opera The Bohemian Girl.After a short career as a violinist, Balfe pursued an operatic singing career, while he began to compose. In a career spanning more than 40 years, he composed 38 operas, almost 250 songs and other works...
at Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
.
American career
Coming to the United States in 1848, he became musical director at Edward P. Fry's Astor Opera HouseAstor Opera House
__notoc__The Astor Opera House, also known as the Astor Place Opera House and later the Astor Place Theatre, was an opera house in Manhattan, New York City, located on Lafayette Street between Astor Place and East 8th Street...
. In 1849 he began his career as an impresario at the same house with an opera company of his own which included most of Fry's artists. Between 1848 and 1850, he produced L'Elisir d'Amore
L'elisir d'amore
L'elisir d'amore is an opera by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. It is a melodramma giocoso in two acts...
, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, I Puritani
I puritani
I puritani is an opera in three acts by Vincenzo Bellini. It was his last opera. Its libretto is by Count Carlo Pepoli, based on Têtes rondes et Cavaliers by Jacques-François Ancelot and Joseph Xavier Saintine, which is in turn based on Walter Scott's novel Old Mortality. It was first produced at...
, Belisario
Belisario
Belisario is a tragedia lirica, or opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after Luigi Marchionni's adaptation of Eduard von Schenk's play. The plot is loosely based on the life of the famous general Belisarius of the 6th century Byzantine Empire...
, Ernani
Ernani
Ernani is an operatic dramma lirico in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the play Hernani by Victor Hugo. The first production took place at La Fenice Theatre, Venice on 9 March 1844...
, Otello
Otello
Otello is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play Othello. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, and was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on February 5, 1887....
, Maria di Rohan
Maria di Rohan
Maria di Rohan is a melodramma tragico, or tragic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. The Italian libretto was written by Salvadore Cammarano, after Lockroy and Edmond Badon's Un duel sous le cardinal de Richelieu, which had played in Paris in 1832.- Roles :- Synopsis :The comte de...
, Don Pasquale
Don Pasquale
Don Pasquale is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. The librettist Giovanni Ruffini wrote the Italian language libretto after Angelo Anelli's libretto for Stefano Pavesi's Ser Marcantonio ....
, and Der Freischütz
Der Freischütz
Der Freischütz is an opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind. It premiered on 18 June 1821 at the Schauspielhaus Berlin...
. During the summer of 1850 Maretzek produced opera in Castle Garden, New York, producing Luisa Miller
Luisa Miller
Luisa Miller is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play Kabale und Liebe by Friedrich von Schiller. The first performance was given at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples on December 8, 1849...
for the first time in America. The Academy of Music was opened in 1854 with Giulia Grisi
Giulia Grisi
Giulia Grisi, also known as Madame De Candia was an Italian opera singer...
and Giuseppe Mario under Maretzek. In 1855, Il Trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
was produced by him, also for the first time in America, with Pasquale Brignoli as Manrico. He suffered a temporary setback with the arrival of Jenny Lind
Jenny Lind
Johanna Maria Lind , better known as Jenny Lind, was a Swedish opera singer, often known as the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she is known for her performances in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and across Europe, and for an extraordinarily...
to America, as he lost audiences to her concerts. In 1856 Maretzek started an opposition to Niblo's Garden
Niblo's Garden
Niblo's Garden was a New York theatre on Broadway, near Prince Street. It was established in 1823 as "Columbia Garden" which in 1828 gained the name of the Sans Souci and was later the property of the coffeehouse proprietor and caterer William Niblo. The large theatre that evolved in several...
, with Clara Louise Kellogg
Clara Louise Kellogg
Clara Louise Kellogg was an American singer.She was a daughter of George Kellogg and Jane Elizabeth , born at Sumterville, South Carolina, and was educated in New York for the musical profession, singing first in opera there in 1861. Her fine soprano voice and artistic gifts soon made her famous...
. Adelaide Phillips
Adelaide Phillips
Adelaide Phillips , American contralto singer, was born at Stratford-upon-Avon, England, her family emigrating to America in 1840. Her mother taught dancing, and Adelaide began a career on the Boston stage at ten years old...
, Pasquale Brignoli, and others. The competition was strong and neither side prospered. Although Maretzek brought out Giorgio Ronconi
Giorgio Ronconi
Giorgio Ronconi was an Italian operatic baritone celebrated for his brilliant acting and compelling stage presence. In 1842, he created the title-role in Giuseppe Verdi's Nabucco at La Scala, Milan.-Career:...
, one of the greatest baritones, he was driven to Philadelphia. In 1860 he returned to the Astor Place Opera House, and worked at Niblo's Garden in New York, the Crosby's Opera House in Chicago, and in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
.
In 1889, his golden jubilee as opera director was held. The celebration was attended by such notables as Theodore Thomas, Anton Seidl
Anton Seidl
Anton Seidl was a Hungarian conductor.-Biography:He was born at Pest, Hungary. He began the study of music at a very early age, and when only seven years old could pick out at the piano melodies which he had heard at the theatre...
, Frank van der Stucken
Frank Van der Stucken
Frank Valentine Van der Stucken was an American composer and conductor, and founder of the Cincinnati Symphony in 1895.-Biography:...
, Adolf Neuendorff
Adolf Neuendorff
Adolf Heinrich Anton Magnus Neuendorff, also known as Adolph Neuendorff was a German-American composer, violinist, pianist and conductor, stage director and theater manager.-Early years:...
and Walter Damrosch.
Maretzek has been described as being possessed of a violent personality, dictatorial and intransigent, and was frequently in disagreement with members of his company and with critics. As a composer, he wrote two operas, Hamlet in 1843 and Sleepy Hollow in 1879. The first was produced in Germany, the second in the United States. He also wrote two volumes of memoirs, Crotchets and Quavers (1885) and Sharps and Flats (1890). He died in Pleasant Plains, Staten Island
Pleasant Plains, Staten Island
Pleasant Plains is a neighborhood located on Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, New York, the most populous city in the United States....
, New York in 1897.