Louis Schneider (born Ludwig Wilhelm Schneider: 29 April 1805 – 16 December 1878) was a German actor and author.

Biography

Schneider was born in Berlin, the son of George Abraham Schneider (1770–1839). At an early age he was engaged at the Royal Theatre, Berlin, where he soon rose to play leading comedy parts. His reputation as a comedian grew with his success in such roles as Zierl in the ''Einfahrt vom Lande'', Peter in the ''Kapellmeister von Venedig'', Schikaneder in his own revision of Mozart's ''

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 Roma ...

'' and Basilio in ''

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 premie ...

'', and he became the favourite of Berlin. In 1845 he was appointed head of the Royal opera in Berlin. The same year he adapted Mozart'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 ...

'', replacing

Gottlieb Stephanie Johann Gottlieb Stephanie the Younger (19 February 1741 – 23 January 1800) was an Austrian playwright, director and librettist, most famously to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mozart. Stephanie was born in Breslau, Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia. He wa ...

's libretto with his own which included the characters of Mozart,

Emmanuel Schikaneder 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 of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera ''The Magic Flute'' and was ...

, Mozart's sister-in-law Aloysia Lange among others. Schneider's version was first performed in Berlin on 25 April 1845.Alfred Loewenberg, ''Annals of Opera, 1597-1940'', 3rd edition (London: John Calder, 1978), column 422. Ludwig's bold patriotic couplets and impromptus during the revolutionary year 1848 necessitated his retirement, and thereafter he translated and adapted for the stage

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 (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

's ''

Cosi fan tutte Cosi, COSI or CoSi may refer to: * ''Così'', a 1992 play by Louis Nowra ** ''Cosi'' (film), 1996, based on the play * Così (restaurant), an American fast-casual restaurant chain * Compton Spectrometer and Imager, or COSI, a NASA telescope to be ...

''; published, under the pseudonym “L. W. Both,” ''Das Buhnenrepertoire des Auslandes''; and founded, as a result of his experiences as a soldier in the Danish war of 1849, the periodical ''Der Soldatenfreund''. He also wrote ''Geschichte der Oper und des Opernhauses in Berlin'' (1845–1852). Soon after his retirement he was appointed reader to

Frederick William IV of Prussia Frederick William IV (german: Friedrich Wilhelm IV.; 15 October 17952 January 1861), the eldest son and successor of Frederick William III of Prussia, reigned as King of Prussia from 7 June 1840 to his death on 2 January 1861. Also referred to ...

, and subsequently he received the title of ''Geheimen Hofrat''. He continued to enjoy the favour of the court, and, as correspondent of the ''Staatsanzeiger'', was attached to the headquarters staff of the Prussian army during the campaign of 1866; and, by special invitation, accompanied the emperor William during the war of 1870. Schneider also wrote a novel, ''Das böse Glück'', and several volumes of reminiscences: ''König Wilhelm'' (1869), ''Kaiser Wilhelm, 1867–1871'' (1875). He died at

Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and, with around 183,000 inhabitants, largest city of the German state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...

Biography

Notes

References

Further reading