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Emanuel Schikaneder (born Johann Joseph Schickeneder; 1 September 1751 – 21 September 1812) was a German impresario, dramatist, actor, singer, and composer. He wrote the
libretto 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 litu ...
of
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...
's opera ''
The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that inclu ...
'' and was the builder of the
Theater an der Wien The is a historic theatre in Vienna located on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district. Completed in 1801, the theatre has hosted the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music. Since 2006, it has served pri ...
.
Peter Branscombe Peter John Branscombe (7 December 1929 in Sittingbourne, Kent – 31 December 2008 in St Andrews, Scotland) was an English academic in German studies, a musicologist, and a writer on Austrian cultural history. Career Branscombe attended Dulwich ...
called him "one of the most talented theatre men of his era". Aside from Mozart, he worked with Salieri,
Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...
and
Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
.


Early years

Schikaneder was born in
Straubing Straubing () is an independent city in Lower Bavaria, southern Germany. It is seat of the district of Straubing-Bogen. Annually in August the Gäubodenvolksfest, the second largest fair in Bavaria, is held. The city is located on the Danube fo ...
in
Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
to Joseph Schickeneder and Juliana Schiessl. Both of his parents worked as domestic servants and were extremely poor.Dent (1956, 16) They had a total of four children: Urban (born 1746), Johann Joseph (died at age two), Emanuel (born 1751 and also originally named Johann Joseph), and Maria (born 1753). Schikaneder's father died shortly after Maria's birth, at which time his mother returned to
Regensburg Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is t ...
, making a living selling religious articles from a wooden shed adjacent to the local cathedral. Schikaneder received his education at a Jesuit school in Regensburg as well as training in the local cathedral as a singer.Heartz (2009, 270) As a young adult, he began to pursue his career in the theater, appearing with Andreas Schopf's theatrical troupe around 1773 and performing opera,
farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity or ...
, and
Singspiel A Singspiel (; plural: ; ) is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera. It is characterized by spoken dialogue, which is alternated with ensembles, songs, ballads, and arias which were often strophic, or folk-like. ...
. Schikaneder danced at a court ballet in
Innsbruck Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol and the fifth-largest city in Austria. On the River Inn, at its junction with the Wipp Valley, which provides access to the Brenner Pass to the south, it had a po ...
in 1774, and the following year his Singspiel ''Die Lyranten'' was debuted there. This was a great success and was performed frequently in the following years. Schikaneder was the librettist, composer, and principal singer, a versatility he would continue to exhibit throughout his career.


Befriending the Mozarts

In the fall of 1780, the Schikaneder troupe made an extended stay in
Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Austro-Bavarian) is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the Roman settlement of ''Iuvavum''. Salzburg was founded ...
, and at that time Schikaneder became a family friend of the Mozarts. The Mozart family at the time consisted of father
Leopold Leopold may refer to: People * Leopold (given name) * Leopold (surname) Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Leopold (''The Simpsons''), Superintendent Chalmers' assistant on ''The Simpsons'' * Leopold Bloom, the protagonist ...
,
Nannerl Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart (30 July 1751 – 29 October 1829), called "Marianne" and nicknamed Nannerl, was a musician, the older sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) and daughter of Leopold (1719–1787) and Anna Maria Moza ...
, and Wolfgang. The Mozarts "rarely missed his shows" (Heartz), and invited Schikaneder to Sunday sessions of '' Bölzlschiessen'' (dart shooting), their favorite family sport. As Mozart was about to depart Salzburg for the premiere in Munich of his opera ''
Idomeneo ' (Italian for ''Idomeneus, King of Crete, or, Ilia and Idamante''; usually referred to simply as ''Idomeneo'', K. 366) is an Italian language opera seria by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French ...
'', he promised before leaving to write "Wie grausam ist, o Liebe...Die neugeborne Ros' entzückt", a recitative and aria for Schikaneder. The composition was intended for Schikaneder's production of ''Die zwey schlaflosen Nächte'' by August Werthes.


First stay in Vienna

From November 1784 to February 1785, Schikaneder collaborated with theater director Hubert Kumpf for a series of performances at the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna. He had been invited to do so by the
Emperor Joseph II Joseph II (German: Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; English: ''Joseph Benedict Anthony Michael Adam''; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg lands from November 29, 1780 un ...
, who had seen him perform the previous year in
Pressburg Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approximately 140% of ...
.Heartz (2009, 271) The Vienna run was admired by critics and attracted large audiences, often including the Emperor and his court. Schikaneder and Kumpf opened their season with a revival of Mozart's ''
Die Entführung aus dem Serail ' () ( K. 384; ''The Abduction from the Seraglio''; also known as ') is a singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Gottlieb Stephanie, based on Christoph Friedrich Bretzner's ''Belmont und Constanze, oder Di ...
''.
Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...
's '' La fedeltà premiata'' was also performed by the troupe. Works of spoken drama were of interest for their political content. The Austrian Empire at the time was governed (like most of Europe) by the system of hereditary aristocracy, which was falling under increasing criticism as the values of the Enlightenment spread. Schikaneder put on a successful comedy entitled ''Der Fremde'' which included a character named Baron Seltenreich ("seldom-rich") who was "a caricature of a scheming windbag of the Viennese aristocracy".Honolka (1990, 58) Schikaneder and his colleague then stepped over the line, initiating a production of
Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satiris ...
' then-scandalous send-up of the aristocracy, ''
The Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' ( it, Le nozze di Figaro, links=no, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' ( opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premi ...
''. This production was canceled by the Emperor at the last minute. In spite of the content and cancellation of the production, Joseph II brought Schikaneder over and he entered Imperial service from April 1785 through February 1786. During his service, he performed in the Austrian Nationaltheater at
Burgtheater The Burgtheater (literally:"Castle Theater" but alternatively translated as "(Imperial) Court Theater"), originally known as '' K.K. Theater an der Burg'', then until 1918 as the ''K.K. Hofburgtheater'', is the national theater of Austria in Vi ...
. During his debut he sang the role of Schwindel in
Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire, he g ...
's
Singspiel A Singspiel (; plural: ; ) is a form of German-language music drama, now regarded as a genre of opera. It is characterized by spoken dialogue, which is alternated with ensembles, songs, ballads, and arias which were often strophic, or folk-like. ...
'' Die Pilgrime von Mekka''.


Years at the Theater auf der Wieden

During Easter 1788, the troupe run by Johann Friedel and Eleonore Schikaneder had settled as the resident troupe at the Theater auf der Wieden, located in a suburb of Vienna.Clive (1993, 135) Friedel died on 31 March 1789, leaving his entire estate to Eleonore, and the theater was closed. Following this, Eleonore offered reconciliation to Schikaneder, who moved to Vienna in May to start a new company in the same theater in partnership with her. The new company was financed by Joseph von Bauernfeld, a Masonic brother of Mozart. With plans of an emphasis on opera, Schikaneder brought two singers with him from his old troupe,
tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...
Benedikt Schack and bass Franz Xaver Gerl. From his wife's company he retained
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
Josepha Hofer Maria Josepha Weber (later Josepha Hofer, Josepha Meier; 1758 – 29 December 1819) was a German soprano of the classical era. She was a sister-in-law of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the first to perform the role of The Queen of the Night i ...
, actor Johann Joseph Nouseul, and
Karl Ludwig Giesecke Carl Ludwig Giesecke FRSE (6 April 1761 in Augsburg – 5 March 1833 in Dublin) was a German actor, librettist, polar explorer and mineralogist. In his youth he was called Johann Georg Metzler; in his later career in Ireland he was Sir Charle ...
as librettist. New additions to the troupe included Anna Gottlieb and Jakob Haibel.Clive (1993, 136) The new company was successful, and ''
Die Entführung aus dem Serail ' () ( K. 384; ''The Abduction from the Seraglio''; also known as ') is a singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Gottlieb Stephanie, based on Christoph Friedrich Bretzner's ''Belmont und Constanze, oder Di ...
'' again became part of the repertory. Several aspects of the company's work emerged that later came to be immortalized in ''The Magic Flute''. A series of musical comedies starting with ''Der Dumme Gärtner aus dem Gebirge, oder Die zween Antons'' ("The Foolish Gardener from the Mountains, or The Two Antons"), premiered in July 1789. The comedy provided a vehicle for Schikaneder's comic stage persona. Another line of performances by the company involved fairy tale operas, starting with the 1789 premiere of ''
Oberon Oberon () is a king of the fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature. He is best known as a character in William Shakespeare's play ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', in which he is King of the Fairies and spouse of Titania, Queen of the Fairi ...
'', with music by Paul Wranitzky and a libretto that was a readaptation of Friederike Sophie Seyler's original libretto. This was followed by '' Der Stein der Weisen oder Die Zauberinsel'' in September 1790,Deutsch (1965, 370) a collaborative opera marked by the musical collaboration of Gerl, Schack, Schikaneder and Mozart. In a review of a performance at the Theater auf der Wieden by a north German commentator in 1793, most contemporary reviews were positive, noting a high standard of musical performance. In his unpublished autobiography, Ignaz von Seyfried recalled performances of operas in the early 1790s by Mozart, Süßmayr, Hoffmeister etc., writing that they were performed with rare skill (''ungemein artig''). Seyfried describes Kapellmeister Henneberg conducting the orchestra from the "pianoforte ... like a General commanding an army of musicians!"


''The Magic Flute''

The series of fairy-tale operas at the Theater auf der Wieden culminated in the September 1791 premiere of ''
The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that inclu ...
'', with music by Mozart and libretto by Schikaneder. The opera incorporated a loose mixture of
Masonic Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
elements and traditional fairy-tale themes (see ''
Libretto of The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' is a celebrated opera composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart employed a libretto written by his close colleague Emanuel Schikaneder, the director of the Theater auf der Wieden at which the opera premiered in the ...
''). Schikaneder took the role of Papageno—a character reflecting the
Hanswurst Hanswurst or Hans Wurst ( German for "Johnny Sausage") was a popular coarse-comic figure of German-speaking impromptu comedy. He is "a half doltish, half cunning, partly stupid, partly knowing, enterprising and cowardly, self indulgent and merry ...
tradition, and thus suited to his skills—at the premiere. According to the dramatist Ignaz Franz Castelli, Schikaneder also may have given advice to Mozart concerning the musical setting of his libretto:
The late bass singer Sebastian Mayer told me that Mozart had originally written the duet where Papageno and Papagena first see each other quite differently from the way in which we now hear it. Both originally cried out "Papageno!", "Papagena!" a few times in amazement. But when Schikaneder heard this, he called down into the orchestra, "Hey, Mozart! That's no good, the music must express greater astonishment. They must both stare dumbly at each other, then Papageno must begin to stammer: 'Pa-papapa-pa-pa'; Papagena must repeat that until both of them finally get the whole name out. Mozart followed the advice, and in this form the duet always had to be repeated."
Castelli adds that the March of the Priests which opens the second act was also a suggestion of Schikaneder's, added to the opera at the last minute by Mozart. These stories are not accepted as necessarily true by all musicologists. ''The Magic Flute'' was a great success at its premiere, frequently selling out and receiving over a hundred performances at the Theater auf der Wieden during its first few months of performance. Schikaneder continued to produce the opera at intervals for the rest of his career in Vienna. Mozart died only a few weeks after the premiere, on 5 December 1791. Schikaneder was distraught at the news and felt the loss sharply. He evidently put on a benefit performance of ''The Magic Flute'' for Mozart's widow Constanze, who at the time faced a difficult financial situation. When his troupe mounted a concert performance of Mozart's ''
La clemenza di Tito ' (''The Clemency of Titus''), K. 621, is an ''opera seria'' in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Pietro Metastasio. It was started after most of ' (''The Magic Flute''), the last of ...
'' in 1798, he wrote in the program:
Mozart's work is beyond all praise. One feels only too keenly, on hearing this or any other of his music, what the Art has lost in him.


Remaining years

Schikaneder's career continued in the same theater during the years that followed ''The Magic Flute''. He continued to write works in which he played the main role and which achieved popular success. These included collaborations with other composers of the time: ''Der Spiegel von Arkadien'' with Mozart's assistant
Franz Xaver Süssmayr Franz Xaver Süssmayr (German: ''Franz Xaver Süßmayr'', or ''Suessmayr'' in English; 1766 – September 17, 1803) was an Austrian composer and conductor. Popular in his day, he is now known primarily as the composer who completed Wolfgang Amade ...
, ''Der Tyroler Wastel'' with Mozart's posthumous brother-in-law Jakob Haibel, and a ''Magic Flute'' sequel called '' Das Labyrinth'', with Peter von Winter. A big box office draw during this time was a rhymed-verse comedy, ''Der travestierte Aeneas'' (''The Travesty of Aeneas''), a contribution of Giesecke. During this period, Schikaneder would several times a year devote the theater to an ''Academie'', or in modern terms, a classical music concert. Symphonies of Mozart and
Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...
were performed, and a young
Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
appeared as a piano soloist.Honolka (1990, 153) Schikaneder maintained in the repertory seven Mozart operas: ''
Die Entführung aus dem Serail ' () ( K. 384; ''The Abduction from the Seraglio''; also known as ') is a singspiel in three acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German libretto is by Gottlieb Stephanie, based on Christoph Friedrich Bretzner's ''Belmont und Constanze, oder Di ...
'', ''
Le nozze di Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' ( it, Le nozze di Figaro, links=no, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' ( opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premi ...
'', ''
Der Schauspieldirektor ' (''The Impresario''), K. 486, is a comic ''singspiel'' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, set to a German libretto by Gottlieb Stephanie, an Austrian ''Schauspieldirektor''. Originally, it was written because of "the imperial command" of the Holy Rom ...
'', ''
Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanis ...
'', '' Così fan tutte'', ''
La clemenza di Tito ' (''The Clemency of Titus''), K. 621, is an ''opera seria'' in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Pietro Metastasio. It was started after most of ' (''The Magic Flute''), the last of ...
'', and ''The Magic Flute''. The Italian operas were performed in German translation. As noted above, Schikaneder also produced ''La clemenza di Tito'' as a concert work. Although many of the works performed were popular successes, the expenses of Schikaneder's elaborate productions were high, and the company gradually fell into debt. In 1798, Schikaneder's landlord learned that the debt had risen to 130,000 florins and canceled Schikaneder's lease. Schikaneder persuaded Bartholomäus Zitterbarth, a wealthy merchant, to become his partner and take on the debt. As a result, the company was saved.Honolka (1990, 182)


Theater an der Wien

Schikaneder and his new partner Zitterbarth planned together to construct a grand new theater for the company. Zitterbarth purchased the land for the new theater on the other side of the
Wien River The Wien is a river that flows through Austria's capital Vienna. Geography The river Wien is long, of which are within the city. Its drainage basin covers an area of , both in the city and in the neighbouring Vienna Woods. Its source lies in ...
, in another suburb only a few hundred meters away from the Theater auf der Wieden. Schikaneder still had in his possession a document from the late Emperor Joseph II permitting him to construct a new theater. In 1800, he had an audience with the now-reigning Franz, which resulted in a renewal of the license—over the protests of Peter von Braun, who directed the
Burgtheater The Burgtheater (literally:"Castle Theater" but alternatively translated as "(Imperial) Court Theater"), originally known as '' K.K. Theater an der Burg'', then until 1918 as the ''K.K. Hofburgtheater'', is the national theater of Austria in Vi ...
. In retaliation, Braun mounted a new production of ''The Magic Flute'' at the Burgtheater, which did not mention Schikaneder as the author. Construction of the new theater, which was named the
Theater an der Wien The is a historic theatre in Vienna located on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district. Completed in 1801, the theatre has hosted the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music. Since 2006, it has served pri ...
, began in April 1800. It opened 13 June 1801 with a performance of the opera ''Alexander'', to Schikaneder's own libretto with music by Franz Teyber. According to the ''
New Grove ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language '' Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and t ...
'', the Theater an der Wien was "the most lavishly equipped and one of the largest theatres of its age". There, Schikaneder continued his tradition of expensive and financially risky theatrical spectacle.


Schikaneder and Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
had moved to Vienna in 1792 and gradually established a strong reputation as a composer and pianist. He performed in an Academie at the Theater auf der Wieden during its last years. In the spring of 1803, the first Academie at the new Theater an der Wien was devoted entirely to Beethoven's works: the
first First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
and
second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds each ...
symphonies, the third piano concerto (with Beethoven as soloist), and the oratorio '' Christ on the Mount of Olives''.Honolka (1990, 200) Schikaneder wanted Beethoven to compose an opera for him. After offering Beethoven an apartment to live in inside the theater building, he also offered his libretto, '' Vestas Feuer''. Beethoven, however, found ''Vestas Feuer'' unsuited to his needs. He did, however, set the opening scene, part of which ultimately became the duet "O namenlose Freude" from his 1804 opera ''
Fidelio ''Fidelio'' (; ), originally titled ' (''Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love''), Op. 72, is Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto was originally prepared by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly, with ...
''. Beethoven continued to live in the Theater an der Wien for a while as he switched his efforts to ''Fidelio''.


Decline and demise

''Fidelio'' premiered in the Theater an der Wien, but not under Schikaneder's direction. By 1804, Schikaneder's career had taken a downward turn; his productions could not bring in enough customers to cover their cost. He sold the Theater an der Wien to a consortium of nobles and left Vienna for the provinces, working in
Brno Brno ( , ; german: Brünn ) is a city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava and Svratka rivers, Brno has about 380,000 inhabitants, making it the second-largest city in the Czech Republi ...
and
Steyr Steyr (; Central Bavarian: ''Steia'') is a statutory city, located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. It is the administrative capital, though not part of Steyr-Land District. Steyr is Austria's 12th most populated town and the 3rd ...
. Following economic problems caused by war and an 1811 currency devaluation, Schikaneder lost most of his fortune. During a journey to
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population o ...
in 1812 to take a new post, he became insane. He died impoverished in Vienna on 21 September 1812 at age 61.


Family

Two of Schikaneder's relatives were also his professional associates: * Urban Schikaneder (1746–1818), a bass, was Emanuel's older brother. He was born in Regensburg on 2 November 1746, and worked for a number of years in his brother's troupe, both as a singer and in helping to administer the group. At the premiere of ''The Magic Flute'', he sang the role of the First Priest.Grove, "Schikaneder" * Anna Schikaneder (1767–1862) also called "Nanny" or "Nanette", was his brother Urban's daughter. At age 24 she sang the role of the First Boy in ''The Magic Flute''. Schikaneder's illegitimate son Franz Schikaneder (1802–1877) was a blacksmith in the service of Emperor
Ferdinand I of Austria en, Ferdinand Charles Leopold Joseph Francis Marcelin , image = Kaiser Ferdinand I.jpg , caption = Portrait by Eduard Edlinger (1843) , succession = Emperor of AustriaKing of Hungary , moretext = ( more...) , cor-type ...
.


Works

Works by Schikaneder include 56 libretti and 45 spoken-language plays, among them:


Libretti

* ''Die Lyranten oder das lustige Elend'' (''The Minstrels, or Merry Misery''). Operetta, music by Schikaneder, Innsbruck, ca. 1775. * ''Das Urianische Schloss'' (''The Urian Castle'') Singspiel, music by Schikander, Salzburg, 1786. * ''Der dumme Gärtner aus dem Gebirge oder die zween Anton'' (''The Silly Gardener from the Hills, or The Two Antons''). Comic opera, music by Benedikt Schack and Franz Xaver Gerl. Vienna, 1789. ** Five sequels to the latter work, including *** ''Was macht der Anton im Winter?'' (What does Anton do in Winter?) Music by Benedikt Schack and Franz Xaver Gerl. Vienna, 1790. *** ''Anton bei Hofe, oder Das Namensfest'' (''Anton at Court, or The Name-Day'') (Vienna, 4 June 1791). Mozart heard the work on 6 June. * '' Der Stein der Weisen'' (''The Philosopher's Stone or the Magic Isle''). Heroic-comic opera, Music by Benedikt Schack,
Johann Baptist Henneberg Johann Baptist Henneberg (5 December 1768 – 27 November 1822) Michael Lorenz: "Neue Forschungsergebnisse zum Theater auf der Wieden und Emanuel Schikaneder", ''Wiener Geschichtsblätter'', April 2008, Verein für Geschichte der Stadt Wien, Wien, ...
, Franz Xaver Gerl, Emanuel Schikaneder, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Vienna 11 September 1790.Deutsch (1965, 370) * ''Der Fall ist noch weit seltner'' (opera libretto, Vienna 1790; music by Benedikt Schack) * ''
Die Zauberflöte ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that inclu ...
'' (opera libretto, Vienna 1791) * ''Der Spiegel von Arkadien'' (''The Mirror of Arcadia''). Grand heroic-comic opera, music by
Franz Xaver Süssmayr Franz Xaver Süssmayr (German: ''Franz Xaver Süßmayr'', or ''Suessmayr'' in English; 1766 – September 17, 1803) was an Austrian composer and conductor. Popular in his day, he is now known primarily as the composer who completed Wolfgang Amade ...
. Vienna, 1794. * ''Babylons Pyramiden'' (opera libretto)Branscombe (2006) * '' Das Labyrinth oder Der Kampf mit den Elementen. Der Zauberflöte zweyter Theil'', Heroic-comic opera, Music by Peter von Winter Vienna, 1798. * ''Der Tiroler Wastel'' (opera libretto) * '' Vestas Feuer'' (opera libretto, Vienna 1803)


Plays

* ''Das abgebrannte Haus'' * ''Der Fleischhauer von Odenburg'' * ''Die Fiaker in Wien''


In fiction

In
Miloš Forman Jan Tomáš "Miloš" Forman (; ; 18 February 1932 – 13 April 2018) was a Czech and American film director, screenwriter, actor, and professor who rose to fame in his native Czechoslovakia before emigrating to the United States in 1968. Forman ...
's film '' Amadeus'', Schikaneder is portrayed by
Simon Callow Simon Phillip Hugh Callow (born 15 June 1949) is an English film, television and voice actor, director, narrator and writer. He was twice nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his roles in ''A Room with a View'' (198 ...
. He is a friend of Mozart, but frequently takes his works and turns them into low-brow comedies, which upsets Mozart's wife Constanze. Furthermore, his demands for new scripts put Mozart under pressure, exacerbating the stress he is under from writing his requiem. He is last seen calling upon Mozart following a performance to provide him with his fee, not knowing that Mozart is near death working with Salieri on their piece. In 2016, the musical ''Schikaneder'' by Stephen Schwartz and Christian Stuppeck and directed by
Trevor Nunn Sir Trevor Robert Nunn (born 14 January 1940) is a British theatre director. He has been the Artistic Director for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and, currently, the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. He has directed dramas ...
, based on the premise that ''The Magic Flute'' sprang from Schikaneder's tumultuous relationship with Eleonore, debuted at the Raimund Theater. ''Schikaneder'' Official Site
Vereinigte Bühnen Wien
In the
time travel Time travel is the concept of movement between certain points in time, analogous to movement between different points in space by an object or a person, typically with the use of a hypothetical device known as a time machine. Time travel is a w ...
novel "Time for Patriots" Schikaneder appears as Mozart's friend and collaborator when a team of time travelers visit Vienna to extend Mozart's life.


Notes


References

The most extensive source on Schikaneder in English is Honolka (1990), listed below. * Branscombe, Peter (1965) "''Die Zauberflöte'': Some Textual and Interpretative Problems," ''Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association'' 45–63. * Branscombe, Peter (1991) ''W. A. Mozart: Die Zauberflöte'' (Cambridge Opera Handbooks), Cambridge University Press, * Branscombe, Peter (2006) "Schikaneder, Emanuel". In
Cliff Eisen Cliff Eisen (born 21 January 1952 in Toronto) is a Canadian musicologist and a Mozart expert. He was based in the Department of Music at King's College London. He studied at the University of Toronto and at Cornell University, and has taught at the ...
and Simon P. Keefe, eds., ''The Cambridge Mozart Encyclopedia''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. * Buch, David (1997) "Mozart and the Theater auf der Wieden: New Attributions and Perspectives," ''Cambridge Opera Journal'', pp. 195–232. * Clive, Peter (1993) ''Mozart and his Circle: A Biographical Dictionary''. New Haven: Yale University Press. * Dent, Edward J. (1956) "Emanuel Schikaneder", ''
Music & Letters ''Music & Letters'' is an academic journal published quarterly by Oxford University Press with a focus on musicology. The journal sponsors the Music & Letters Trust, twice-yearly cash awards of variable amounts to support research in the music fie ...
'' 37:14–21. * Edge, Dexter (1996) "A newly Discovered Autograph Source for Mozart's Aria K.365a (Anh.11a)" ''Mozart-Jahrbuch 1996'' 177–193. * Deutsch, Otto Erich (1965) ''Mozart: A Documentary Biography''; English translations by
Eric Blom Eric Walter Blom (20 August 188811 April 1959) was a Swiss-born British-naturalised music lexicographer, music critic and writer. He is best known as the editor of the 5th edition of '' Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (1954). Biog ...
, Peter Branscombe, and Jeremy Noble, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. This book contains many mentions of Schikaneder from first-hand sources. The stories from Ignaz Franz Castelli were taken by Deutsch from Castelli's 1861 memoirs. * Deutsch, Otto Erich and Cliff Eisen (1991) ''New Mozart documents: a supplement to O.E. Deutsch's documentary biography''. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. . * Heartz, Daniel (2009) ''Haydn, Mozart, and early Beethoven, 1781–1802.'' New York: Norton. * Honolka, Kurt (1990) ''Papageno: Emanuel Schikaneder, man of the theater in Mozart's time''. Hal Leonard Corporation. . * Lorenz, Michael
"Neue Forschungsergebnisse zum Theater auf der Wieden und Emanuel Schikaneder"
''Wiener Geschichtsblätter'' 4/2008, (Vienna: Verein für Geschichte der Stadt Wien, 2008), pp. 15–36. * Waldoff, Jessica (2006) "''Die Zauberflöte''". In Cliff Eisen and Simon P. Keefe, eds., ''The Cambridge Mozart Encyclopedia''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. * ''Der Zauberfloete zweyter Theil unter dem Titel: Das Labyrinth oder der Kampf mit den Elementen''. (Libretto) ed. by Manuela Jahrmärker and Till Gerrit Waidelich, Tutzing 1992, * ''Schikaneders heroisch-komische Oper Der Stein der Weisen – Modell für Mozarts Zauberflöte. Kritische Ausgabe des Textbuches'', ed. by D. Buch and Manuela Jahrmärker, vol. 5 of ''Hainholz Musikwissenschaft'', Göttingen 2002. 119 pages.


Further reading

* E.M. Batley
"The Work of Emanuel Schikaneder and the Tradition of the Old Viennese Popular Theatre"
Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...
(1965) * Lorenz, Michael
"The Godchildren of Emanuel and Eleonore Schikaneder"
(Vienna 2018). * Waidelich, Till Gerrit (2012) "Papagenos Selbstvermarktung in Peter von Winters ''Labyrinth (Der Zauberflöte zweyter Theil)'' sowie unbekannte Dokumente zu dessen Entstehung, Überlieferung und Rezeption in Wien und Berlin 1803", in: ''Acta Mozartiana'', 59 (2012), pp. 139–177.


External links


Schikaneder's libretto for ''The Magic Flute''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schikaneder, Emanuel 1751 births 1812 deaths People from Straubing People from the Duchy of Bavaria 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights 19th-century German male writers German male dramatists and playwrights Impresarios German opera librettists German Freemasons Opera managers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's librettists Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's singers The Magic Flute 18th-century theatre managers 19th-century theatre managers