Franz Pokorny (22 December 1797 – 5 August 1850) was an Austrian theatre manager. He owned two leading theatres in Vienna, the

Theater in der Josefstadt The Theater in der Josefstadt is a theater in Vienna in the eighth district of Josefstadt. It was founded in 1788 and is the oldest still performing theater in Vienna. It is often referred to colloquially as simply ''Die Josefstadt''. Following ...

and 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 prima ...

, where he staged notable productions.

Life

Early career

Pokorny was born in (now in the Czech Republic), son of a teacher. He was initially a school assistant. In 1819 he moved to Vienna, where he was a clarinettist at the

. In 1822 he was a clarinettist at the civic theatre in Pressburg (now

Bratislava Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the Capital city, 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 — approxim ...

in Slovakia), where from 1827 he directed the theatre orchestra."Pokorny, Franz (1797-1850), Theaterdirektor"
''Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon''. Retrieved 19 December 2020."Pokorny, Familie"
''Oesterreiches Musiklexikon online''. Retrieved 19 December 2020.

Theater in der Josefstadt

In 1835 Pokorny leased the civic theatre of Pressburg, and successfully staged operas. In 1836 he also leased the civic theatre of

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 ...

, and in 1837 the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna, buying this theatre in 1840. Productions staged at the Theater in der Josefstadt included the Vienna premieres of Meyerbeer's opera ''

Les Huguenots () is an opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer and is one of the most popular and spectacular examples of grand opera. In five acts, to a libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work suc ...

'' (1839), and of Donizetti's operas ''

Lucia di Lammermoor ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' () is a (tragic opera) in three acts by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian-language libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott's 1819 historical novel ''The Bride of Lammermoor''. ...

'' (1843) and ''

La fille du régiment ' (''The Daughter of the Regiment'') is an opéra comique in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti, set to a French libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-François Bayard. It was first performed on 11 February 1840 by the Paris Opéra- ...

'' (1844). He also staged in his theatres classic dramas and '' Possen mit Gesang''; ''Der Zauberschleier'' by Franz Xaver Told was successful.

Theater an der Wien

In 1841 he bought the civic theatre in Ödenburg (now

Sopron Sopron (; german: Ödenburg, ; sl, Šopron) is a city in Hungary on the Austrian border, near Lake Neusiedl/Lake Fertő. History Ancient times-13th century When the area that is today Western Hungary was a province of the Roman Empire, a ...

in Hungary). He gave up the management of the theatre in Baden in 1843 and that of Pressburg in 1844, and in 1845 bought the

in Vienna: Pokorny became dominant in the theatrical life of Vienna. He refurbished the theatre, and put on polished productions, so that the theatre competed with the Vienna Court Opera (which he unsuccessfully tried to lease). Conductors of the orchestra of the Theater an der Wien during this period included

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 c ...

and

Albert Lortzing Gustav Albert Lortzing (23 October 1801 – 21 January 1851) was a German composer, librettist, actor and singer. He is considered to be the main representative of the German ''Spieloper'', a form similar to the French '' opéra comique'', whic ...

, and productions included the Vienna premieres of Lortzing's opera ''

Undine Undines (; also ondines) are a category of elemental beings associated with water, stemming from the alchemical writings of Paracelsus. Later writers developed the undine into a water nymph in its own right, and it continues to live in modern li ...

'' and of Meyerbeer's opera '' Vielka'' (both 1847). In 1846 and 1847

Jenny Lind Johanna Maria "Jenny" Lind (6 October 18202 November 1887) was a Swedish opera singer, often called the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she performed in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and a ...

was a guest performer.

Last years

His health declined; the high cost of his productions, the revolutionary events of 1848, and his generosity in donating to Viennese charities, increased his indebtedness. 1848 he leased the Theater in der Josefstadt. He died in Vienna in 1850. His son Alois Pokorny (1825–1883) continued to run the Theater an der Wien until 1862, when it was leased by , but remained the owner until 1873.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pokorny, Franz 1797 births 1850 deaths 19th-century theatre managers Austrian theatre managers and producers