Lehar

(lé-hir’), Franz, b. Komorn, Hungary, April 30, 1870; composer of the world sweeping operetta ‘‘ Die Lustige» Witwe’’? (Vienna, 1905, New York and London as “The Merry Widow’’); lives in Vienna; c. also operas “ Kukuska,” Leipzig, 1896, revised as ‘‘Tatjana,’”’ Briinn, 1905; operettas ‘“‘Wiener Frauen” (Vienna, 1902; revised as ‘Der Schlii el zum Paradiese,” Leipzig, 1906); “Mitislav’ (Vienna, 1907); « “Edelwei und Rosenstock’ (1907); “Peter and Paul reisen ins Schlaraffenland”’ (Vienna, 1906); “Der Mann mit den dret Frauen’ (1908); “Das Fiirstenkind,”’ ‘‘Der Graf von Luxemburg,” ‘‘Zigeunerliebe,” ‘Die blaue Mazur,’’. “Frasquita,” “ Paganint,” “‘Friederike,” ‘‘Zarevitch,” “Das Land des Lichelns’” (revision of “Die blaue Jacke’), and the opera, 1934), et Cc. “‘Giuditta’’ (Vienna, (la’-min), (1) T. Marie, (I.) prima Spohr; donna at Ca el under (2) Lilli, Wiirzburg, Nov. 24, 1842—Berlin, May 16, 1929; daughter and pupil of above; eminent soprano; début at Prague as “First Boy” in “Die Zauberflite’”’; 1868, at Danzig, and Leipzig, 1870; in the same year obtained a life engagement at the Royal Opera, Berlin, with the title (1876) of Imp. Chamber-singer; she sang ‘“‘Woglinde,” “ Helmwige” and the ‘‘ Bird,” at their first performance, 1876; 1885, broke her contract, and sang in the U. S.; was as a result banned from German stages for several seasons but restored to favor by Emperor; sang at Met. Op. Co., N. Y., 1885-89 and 1891-92, revealing highest dram. and _ technical powers in such réles as “Isolde” and even some Italian parts; she lived in Berlin after 1892, and also took active share in Salzburg Fests., devoting much of her time to teaching, but continuing to appear in opera occasionally as late as 1910; m. Paul Kalisch, tenor. (3) Marie (II.), Hamburg, May 15, 1851— Berlin, Dec. 9, 1931; daughter and pupil of (1); at 16 sang in Leipzig City Th.; for many years, till 1897, Vienna ct.-opera; lived in Berlin. (4) Liza (Mrs. Herbert Bedford), London, July rz, 1862—Sept. 10, 1918; concert-soprano; pupil of Rand egger and Raunkilde at Rome (voice) and of Freudenberg (Wiesbaden), (comp.); début, Nov. 23, 1885, at a Monday Pop. Concert; 1887, sang at the Norwich Festival; 1894, m. and retired; c. many songs incl. the very pop. song-cycle from Omar Khayyam, “In a Persian Garden,” also ‘In Memoriam,’ etc. (5) Lotte, b. Perleberg, Germany, July 2, 1885; soprano; studied Berlin R. Acad. of Music and with Mathilde Mallinger; début, Hamburg, 1910; won high rank as lyric-dram. soprano, being heard in Dresden, Berlin, and as a regular mem. of the Vienna State Op., where she has enjoyed much popularity for her perfs. in Wagner, Strau and other works; created réle of the composer in ‘Ariadne auf Naxos’; heard at Salzburg Fest., Covent Garden, Chicago Op., (début as “Sieglinde,” 1930), and after 1934 at Met. Op., Y.; also holds distinguished place as Lieder singer; awarded decoration of Officer Public Instruction, France; Swedish Medal of Arts and Sciences.