Maxim's - The Merry Widow

Franz Lehar's "The Merry Widow" the author of what many critics consider the most popular waltz ever written, The Merry Widow Waltz, was born Ferenc Lehar in the town of Komarom, Hungary, on April 30, 1870. He was best known to an admiring public as Franz Lehar, composer of some of the finest operettas since the days of Johann Strauss. Lehar's most popular composition, The Merry Widow Waltz, has withstood everything from assaults by amateur sopranos to brassbound attacks by military bands. Its lilting music has survived over a dozen sets of lyrics of varying quality. This apparently fragile waltz has endured in a competitive field where powerful grand operas and massive symphonies have fallen into silent oblivion. The man who wrote this remarkable waltz-and scores of other light masterpieces-was given his early musical training by his father. He later entered the Prague Conservatory, majoring in violin and theory. The great Antonin Dvorak recognized the youngster's true talent, and advised him to concentrate on composition. Lehar knew good advice when he heard it and did his best to obey. However, after graduation he found himself earring his bread and butter by playing violin in the opera orchestra at Elberfeld, a fairly strenuous job which left him with no time for composition. He left to orchestral chair to become assistant conductor of his father's band, the Fiftieth Infantry, in Vienna. For the next dozen years, Lehar gained valuable experience as a conductor. In 1902 he became conductor at the Theater-an-der-Wien in Vienna. The same year his opera Wiener Frauen was produced at this theatre and proved itself a resounding success. From 1902 on Lehar, now making his home in Vienna, devoted himself seriously to composing music. On December 30, 1905, the curtain rang up on The Merry Widow. By the time the performance was over, the name of Franz Lehar was etched forever on the honour roll of musical genius. The Viennese operetta was translated into twenty-four languages. It was one of the most successful presentations New York ever applauded. The New York premiere occurred in 1907, and the operetta weathered over 5,000 America performances. The great cities of the world played host to The Merry Widow. London, Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Buenos Aires-All bowed in tribute to the Viennese beauty. Wile all this was going on, Lehar was busy penning other operettas. Although none of then duplicated the fantastic success of The Merry Widow, there were a number of fine works which enjoyed good runs on the musical stage, including The Count of Luxembourg, Gypsy Love and The Land of Smiles with its enormously popular Yours Is My Heart Alone. Lehar also turned out such varied compositions as sonatas, symphonic poems, marches and dances. In October 1948, death came to Franz Lehar in his Tyrolean country home. A troubled world, which badly needed more Lehar music, felt the loss. The story of The Merry Widow tells of the romanced of dashing Prince Danilo and Sonia, beautiful heiress from Marsovia. Comedy relief if supplied by Baron Popoff, a gentleman as absurd as his mane. However, it is, above all, the easy lyricism of the music that has mad The Merry Widow on of the real treasures for audiences the world over.

Radio Corporation of America, 1957

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