Franz Friedrich Richard Genée (7 February 1823 – 15 June 1895) was a Prussian born Austrian

librettist A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major ...

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

, and composer.

Life

Genée was born in Danzig. He died at

Baden bei Wien Baden (German for "Baths"; Central Bavarian: ''Bodn''), unofficially distinguished from other Badens as Baden bei Wien (Baden near Vienna), is a spa town in Austria. It serves as the capital of Baden District in the state of Lower Austria. Loc ...

Works

He is most famous for the libretto of ''

Die Fledermaus ' (, ''The Flittermouse'' or ''The Bat'', sometimes called ''The Revenge of the Bat'') is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée, which premiered in 1874. Background The original li ...

'',

Johann Strauss II Johann Baptist Strauss II (25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (german: links=no, Sohn), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed ov ...

's most famous operetta. He co-wrote the libretto without having met top-billed librettist Karl Haffner, who constructed the new story based on a play by

Henri Meilhac Henri Meilhac (23 February 1830 – 6 July 1897) was a French dramatist and opera librettist, best known for his collaborations with Ludovic Halévy on Georges Bizet's ''Carmen'' and on the works of Jacques Offenbach, as well as Jules Massene ...

and

Ludovic Halévy Ludovic Halévy (1 January 1834 – 7 May 1908) was a French author and playwright, best known for his collaborations with Henri Meilhac on Georges Bizet's ''Carmen'' and on the works of Jacques Offenbach. Biography Ludovic Halévy was born in ...

, which was considered too shocking to perform outside Paris. Genée, however, wrote the operetta's actual text and drew nothing from Haffner beyond the names of the characters. Andrew Lamb. Liner Notes, ''Die Fledermaus'', EMI/Angel Records, 1986 One of his best-known works was the libretto of Karl Millöcker's operetta '' Der Bettelstudent'', which he co-wrote with Friedrich Zell (the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

of Camillo Walzel). He also wrote the libretto to Ella Adayevskaya's 1877 opera ''

Zarya Zarya may refer to: *Zorya, personification of dawn in Slavic mythology *Zarya (antenna), a type of medium-wave broadcasting antenna used in former Soviet Union *Zarya (ISS module) is a module of the International Space Station. * ''Zarya'' (magazin ...

''. In 1857 he was conductor of the

philharmonic orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

Librettos and plays

* Polyphen oder Ein Abenteuer auf Martinique 1856 * Der Geiger aus Tirol 1857 * Der Liebesring um 1860 * Ein Trauerspiel 1860 * Ein Narrentraum 1861 * Die Generalprobe 1862 * Die Herren von der Livree 1862 * Die Talismänner 1863 * Rosita 1864 * Der schwarze Prinz 1866 * Die Zopfabschneider 1866 * Am Runenstein 1868 * Schwefeles, der Höllenagent 1869 * Eine Konzertprobe 1870 * Der Hexensabbath 1870 * Der Sänger mit drei Tönen 1871 * Karneval in Rom 1873, zusammen mit Josef Braun, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Johann Strauß) *

, 1874, zusammen mit Carl Haffner, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Johann Strauß) * Cleopatra oder Durch drei Jahrtausende 1875 *

Cagliostro in Wien ' ('' Cagliostro in Vienna'') is an operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss II to a libretto by F. Zell and Richard Genée. It premiered on 27 February 1875 at the Theater an der Wien, featuring Marie Geistinger and Alexander Girardi. Recep ...

1875, zusammen mit

F. Zell Camillo Walzel (11 February 1829 –17 March 1895) was a German librettist and theatre director, who wrote under the pseudonym F Zell. Life and work Walzel was born in Magdeburg. In his early years, he worked in his father's lithographic factory, ...

, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Johann Strauß) * Fatinitza 1876, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operetten in 3 Akten, (Musik:

Franz von Suppé Franz von Suppé (né Francesco Ezechiele Ermenegildo de Suppe) (18 April 181921 May 1895) was an Austrian composer of light operas and other theatre music. He came from the Kingdom of Dalmatia, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now part of Croatia). A ...

) * Der Seekadett 1876, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operetten in 3 Akten, (Musik: Richard Genée) * Luftschlösser 1876 * Im Wunderland der Pyramiden 1877 * Die letzten Mohikaner 1878 * Die Fornarina 1879, zusammen mit F. Zell und Moritz West, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Carl Zeller) *

Boccaccio Giovanni Boccaccio (, , ; 16 June 1313 – 21 December 1375) was an Italian writer, poet, correspondent of Petrarch, and an important Renaissance humanist. Born in the town of Certaldo, he became so well known as a writer that he was some ...

1879, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operetten in 3 Akten, (Musik: Franz von Suppé) * Gräfin Dubarry 1879, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik:

Carl Millöcker Carl (or Karl) Joseph Millöcker ( – ), was an Austrian composer of operettas and a conductor. __NOTOC__ He was born in Vienna, where he studied the flute at the Vienna Conservatory. While holding various conducting posts in the city, he ...

) * Das Spitzentuch der Königin 1880, zusammen mit Heinrich Bohrmann-Riegen, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Johann Strauß) * Apajune, der Wassermann 1880, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Carl Millöcker) * Donna Juanita 1880, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Franz von Suppé) * Nisida 1880 * Der Gascogner 1881, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Franz von Suppé) * Rosina 1881 * Der lustige Krieg 1881, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Johann Strauß) * Der Bettelstudent 1882, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Carl Millöcker) * Eine Nacht in Venedig 1883, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Johann Strauß) * Die Afrikareise, 1883, zusammen mit Moritz West, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Franz von Suppé) * Gasparone 1884, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Carl Millöcker) * Eine gemachte Frau 1885 * Zwillinge 1885 * Die Piraten 1886 * Der Vizeadmiral 1886, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Carl Millöcker) * Die Dreizehn 1887 * Die Jagd nach dem Glück 1888, zusammen mit Bruno Zappert, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Franz von Suppé) * Signora Vedetta 1892 * Die wachsame Schildwache 1893 * Freund Felix 1894

Musical compositions

*In 1876, Genée composed the operetta '' Der Seekadet''. The operetta featured a game of

chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

in its second act and later lent its name to the

chess opening A chess opening or simply an opening is the initial stage of a chess game. It usually consists of established theory; the other phases are the middlegame and the endgame. Many opening sequences have standard names such as the " Sicilian Defens ...

trap found in the match the ''Seekadettenmatt'' (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

for naval cadet - in English ''The Royal Middy''

mate Mate may refer to: Science * Mate, one of a pair of animals involved in: ** Mate choice, intersexual selection ** Mating * Multi-antimicrobial extrusion protein, or MATE, an efflux transporter family of proteins Person or title * Friendship * ...

). The move is usually known in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national id ...

as the Légal Trap. *

Der Musikfeind Der or DER may refer to: Places * Darkənd, Azerbaijan * Dearborn (Amtrak station) (station code), in Michigan, US * Der (Sumer), an ancient city located in modern-day Iraq * d'Entrecasteaux Ridge, an oceanic ridge in the south-west Pacific Ocean ...

Rosita (opera) Rosita may refer to: Places * Rosita, Nicaragua, a municipality * Rosita Airport, an airport that serves Rosita, Nicaragua * La Rosita, Texas * Rosita, Colorado * Rosita North, Texas * Rosita, Texas, formerly named Rosita South * Nueva Rosita, a ...

* Nanon, die Wirthin vom Goldenen Lamm 1877, zusammen mit F. Zell, Operette in 3 Akten, (Musik: Richard Genée) *

1862, Operette, (Musik: Richard Genée) * Italian Salad, a piece for choir and soloists in which all the words are musical expressions, sung according to the meaning of the words.

Films based on his works

*', directed by

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as ...

(Germany, 1917, loosely based on the operetta ''

'') *''

'', directed by

Max Mack Max Mack (1884–1973) was a German screenwriter, film producer and director during the silent era. He is particularly known for his 1913 film '' The Other''. He directed, and co-starred in, an early film adaptation of ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' ...

(Germany, 1923, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' Nanon'', directed by

Hanns Schwarz Hanns Schwarz (11 February 1888 – 27 October 1945) was an Austrian film director. He was born in Vienna on 11 February 1888. Biography He directed twenty four films between 1924 and 1937 in both English and German. During the late silent and ...

(Germany, 1924, based on the operetta ''Nanon'') *'' The Beggar Student'', directed by

Luise Fleck Luise Fleck, also known as Luise Kolm or Luise Kolm-Fleck, née Louise or Luise Veltée (1 August 1873–15 March 1950), was an Austrian film director, and has been considered the second ever female feature film director in the world, after A ...

and

Jacob Fleck Jacob Fleck (8 November 1881 in Vienna as Jacob Julius Fleck – 19 September 1953, also in Vienna) was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, film producer and cameraman. He is noted for his long-standing professional partnership with his wife ...

(Germany, 1927, based on the operetta '' Der Bettelstudent'') *'' The Beggar Student'', directed by

Victor Janson Victor Arthur Eduard Janson ( lv, Viktors Artūrs Eduards Jansons; 25 September 1884 – 29 June 1960) was a German stage and film actor and film director of Latvian ethnicity. Selected filmography Actor * '' Your Dearest Enemy'' (1916) * '' Whe ...

(Germany, 1931, based on the operetta '' Der Bettelstudent'') *'' The Beggar Student'', directed by

Victor Hanbury W. Victor Hanbury (1897 – 14 December 1954) was a British film director and producer. Entering the film industry in 1919 after service in the First World War, he became a director and producer in the early 1930s. His last film as a director w ...

and John Harvel (UK, 1931, based on the operetta '' Der Bettelstudent'') *''

'', directed by

Karel Lamač Karel Lamač (27 January 1897 – 2 August 1952) was a Czech film director, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He directed more than 100 films in Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Life Lamač ...

(Germany, 1931, based on the operetta ''

'') **', directed by

and Pierre Billon (France, 1932, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' Waltz Time'', directed by

Wilhelm Thiele Wilhelm Thiele (1890–1975) was an Austrian screenwriter and film director. He directed over 40 films between 1921 and 1960. Life and career Thiele started his show career as a stage actor. He got his start in Austrian and German film during t ...

(UK, 1933, based on the operetta ''

'') *''

The Loves of Madame Dubarry ''I Give My Heart'' (US-Title: ''The Loves of Madame Dubarry'') is a 1935 British historical film adapted from the stage operetta ''The DuBarry'' by Carl Millöcker and arranged by Theo Mackeben. Directed by Marcel Varnel, and produced by Britis ...

'', directed by

Marcel Varnel Marcel Varnel (16 October 1892 – 13 July 1947) was French film director, notably however for his career in the United States and England as a director of plays and films Biography He was born Marcel Hyacinthe le Bozec in Paris, France. Va ...

(UK, 1935, based on the operetta '' Die Dubarry'') *'' The Beggar Student'', directed by

Georg Jacoby Georg Jacoby (23 July 1882 – 21 February 1964) was a German film director and screenwriter.Profile
, bfi.org.uk; accessed 1 ...

(Germany, 1936, based on the operetta '' Der Bettelstudent'') *', directed by

Paul Verhoeven Paul Verhoeven (; born 18 July 1938) is a Dutch director, producer and screenwriter, active in the Netherlands, France and the United States. His blending of graphic violence and sexual content with social satire is a trademark of both his dram ...

(Germany, 1937, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' Gasparone'', directed by

Georg Jacoby Georg Jacoby (23 July 1882 – 21 February 1964) was a German film director and screenwriter.Profile
, bfi.org.uk; accessed 1 ...

(Germany, 1937, based on the operetta '' Gasparone'') *'' Nanon'', directed by Herbert Maisch (Germany, 1938, based on the operetta ''Nanon'') *''

'', directed by Marcello Albani (Italy, 1940, based on the operetta ''

'') *''

'', directed by

Géza von Bolváry Géza von Bolváry (born Géza Gyula Mária Bolváry Zahn, german: Géza Maria von Bolváry-Zahn; 26 December 1897 – 10 August 1961) was a Hungarian actor, screenwriter, and film director, who worked principally in Germany and Austria. Biog ...

(Germany, 1944–46, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' A Night in Venice'', directed by Georg Wildhagen (Austria, 1953, based on the operetta '' Eine Nacht in Venedig'') *'' Oh... Rosalinda!!'', directed by

Michael Powell Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. Through their production company The Archers, they together wrote, produced and directed a serie ...

and

Emeric Pressburger Emeric Pressburger (born Imre József Pressburger; 5 December 19025 February 1988) was a Hungarian-British screenwriter, film director, and producer. He is best known for his series of film collaborations with Michael Powell, in a collabora ...

(UK, 1955, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' Swelling Melodies'', directed by

E. W. Fiedler Ernst Wilhelm Fiedler (1905–1960) was a German cinematographer.Giesen p.197 He also directed three films. Selected filmography * '' Gypsy Blood'' (1934) * ''The Glass Ball'' (1937) * ''The Marriage Swindler'' (1938) * ''Doctor Crippen'' (1942) ...

(East Germany, 1955, based on the operetta ''

'') *''Gasparone'', directed by

Karl Paryla Karl Paryla (1905–1996) was an Austrian theater actor and director, and later a film maker as well. A lifelong, dedicated communist, his career in the Austrian theater was first interrupted by the Second World War, and then strained by Cold War ...

(Austria, 1956, based on the operetta '' Gasparone'') *'' The Beggar Student'', directed by

Werner Jacobs Werner Jacobs (1909–1999) was a German film director and film editor, editor. He was born in Berlin on the 24 April 1909. He is best known for his contributions to Modebummel (1951), Der Stern von Santa Clara (1958) and André und Ursula (1955). ...

(West Germany, 1956, based on the operetta '' Der Bettelstudent'') *'' Mazurka der Liebe'', directed by Hans Müller (East Germany, 1957, based on the operetta '' Der Bettelstudent'') *''

'', directed by

Géza von Cziffra Géza von Cziffra (; 19 December 1900 – 28 April 1989) was a Hungarian and Austrian film director and screenwriter. Life Cziffra was a Banat German in origin, born in 1900 in Arad in the Banat region, at that date in the Kingdom of Hungary ...

(Austria, 1962, based on the operetta ''

'') *'' Flagermusen'', directed by (Denmark, 1966, based on the operetta ''

'') *''

'', directed by Yan Frid (Soviet Union, 1979, based on the operetta ''

'')

References

Biography from Planet Vienna

External links

*

* from Pula, Croatia chant Italian salad - finale * * 1823 births 1895 deaths 19th-century Austrian people 19th-century classical composers Austrian opera composers Male opera composers Austrian Romantic composers Austrian opera librettists Austrian male writers Austrian people of German descent Austrian people of Prussian descent Musicians from Gdańsk People from West Prussia Austrian male classical composers 19th-century Austrian dramatists and playwrights 19th-century male writers 19th-century male musicians {{Austria-composer-stub