Victor Léon, also Viktor Léon (born Victor Hirschfeld; 4 January 1858, Szenic,

Nyitra County Nyitra County ( hu, Nyitra vármegye; german: link=no, Neutraer Gespanschaft/Komitat Neutra; la, Comitatus Nitriensis; sk, Nitriansky komitát / Nitrianska stolica / Nitrianska župa) was an administrative county (Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary ...

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the coronation of the first king Stephen ...

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...

(today

Senica Senica (; german: Senitz; hu, Szenice) is a town in Trnava Region, western Slovakia. It is located in the north-eastern part of the Záhorie lowland, close to the Little Carpathians. Etymology The name is derived from the word ''seno'' ("hay") ...

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

) – 23 February 1940, Vienna) was a well-known Jewish

Austrian-Hungarian Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1 ...

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 litu ...

. He collaborated with

Leo Stein Leo Stein (May 11, 1872 – July 29, 1947) was an American art collector and critic. He was born in Allegheny City (now in Pittsburgh), the older brother of Gertrude Stein. He became an influential promoter of 20th-century paintings. Education ...

to produce the libretto of

Franz Lehár Franz Lehár ( ; hu, Lehár Ferenc ; 30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas, of which the most successful and best known is ''The Merry Widow'' (''Die lustige Witwe''). Life ...

's romantic

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt t ...

'' (''Die lustige Witwe'').

Biography

Hirschfeld began a career as a journalist, and then branched out in the theatre under the pseudonym that was to become familiar - Viktor Léon. Between 1880 and 1884 he wrote one-act libretti for Vienna's variety theatre, the Carl-Schultze-Theater in Hamburg, and the German Theatre in Pest, collaborating with composers such as Max von Weinzierl,

Rudolf Raimann Rudolf Raimann (7 May 1861, Veszprém, Hungary – 26 September 1913, Vienna, Austria) was a Hungarian composer. For many years he worked as the chief composer and music director to Prince Esterházy. He composed 15 operas and operettas for t ...

and Alfred Zamara. Then came a three-act collaboration with Zamara, ''

Der Doppelgänger "Der Doppelgänger" is one of the six songs from Franz Schubert's ''Schwanengesang'' that sets words by Heinrich Heine for piano and tenor voice. It was written in 1828, the year of Schubert's death. Text The title "Der Doppelgänger" is Schub ...

'', produced at the

Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz The Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz (''State Theatre at Gärtnerplatz''), commonly called the Gärtnerplatztheater, is an opera house and opera company in Munich. (The "Gärtnerplatz" is an urban square in the borough Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt.) ...

in Munich in September 1886. He then wrote a libretto for

Johann Strauss 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 ove ...

. Alas, '' Simplicius'', a story of the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...

, produced at 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 ...

on 17 December 1887, was scarcely a success, even after being revised twice. There followed a string of further creations with composers such as Zamara,

Joseph Hellmesberger, Jr. Joseph Heinrich Georg Hellmesberger Jr. (9 April 1855 – 26 April 1907), also known as Pepi Hellmesberger, was an Austrian composer, violinist and Conducting, conductor. Biography Hellmesberger was born in Vienna and was the son of violinis ...

, Alphons Czibulka,

Rudolf Dellinger Rudolf Dellinger (8 July 1857 – 24 September, 1910) was a German Bohemian composer and Kapellmeister. He almost exclusively composed operettas and was considered to be among the most outstanding composers of his time. Born into a family o ...

, and even

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 ...

(his last work, ''Das Modell''), as well as German adaptations of foreign works that included

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...

's ''

The Yeomen of the Guard ''The Yeomen of the Guard; or, The Merryman and His Maid'', is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 3 October 1888 and ran for 423 performances. This was the eleventh ...

'' and

Edward Jakobowski Edward Jakobowski (17 April 1856 – 29 April 1929) was an English composer, especially of musical theatre, best known for writing the hit comic opera ''Erminie''. Life and career Jakobowski was born in Islington, London, the only son of Israel ...

's ''

Erminie ''Erminie'' is a comic opera in two acts composed by Edward Jakobowski with a libretto by Claxson Bellamy and Harry Paulton, based loosely on Charles Selby's 1834 English translation of the French melodrama, ''Robert Macaire''. The piece first ...

''. Not until 1898 was Léon associated with a lasting success, when he collaborated with Heinrich von Waldberg and composer

Richard Heuberger Richard Franz Joseph Heuberger (18 June 1850 in Graz, Austria – 28 October 1914 in Vienna, Austria) was an Austrian composer of operas and operettas, a music critic, and teacher. Heuberger was born in Graz, the son of a bandage manufacturer. He ...

on ''

Der Opernball ''Der Opernball'' (''The Opera Ball'') is an operetta in three acts with music by Richard Heuberger, and libretto by Viktor Léon and Heinrich von Waldberg, based on the 1876 comedy ' by Alfred Delacour and Alfred Hennequin. Alexander von Zemlin ...

'' (''The Opera Ball''), produced at the Theater an der Wien that January. Léon's profile was thereby significantly raised, and a string of further works in 1898 and 1899 included another enduring success in '' Wiener Blut'' (''Vienna Blood''), which Adolf Müller Jr. compiled for Vienna's

Carltheater The Carltheater was a theatre in Vienna. It was in the suburbs in Leopoldstadt at Praterstraße 31 (at that time called Jägerzeile). It was the successor to the Leopoldstädter Theater. After a series of financial difficulties, that theater had ...

from published dance music by the ailing Waltz King,

. This was the first collaboration of the successful partnership of Léon and Leo Stein. Léon also had success with

Leo Fall Leopold Fall (2 February 187316 September 1925) was an Austrian Kapellmeister and composer of operettas. Life Born in Olmütz (Olomouc), Leo (or Leopold) Fall was taught by his father Moritz Fall (1848–1922), a bandmaster and composer, who sett ...

's '' Die geschiedene Frau'' which opened at the Carltheater in Vienna on 23 December 1908. On some of his later works, Victor Léon collaborated with his younger brother Leo, who wrote under the name of

Leo Feld Leo Feld (14 February 1869, Augsburg - 5 September 1924 Florence) was an Austrian librettist, dramaturge, stage director, and writer. He also worked as a translator for publishing companies, and was notably responsible for translating many of Cha ...

. Léon was also director of many of his operettas. In 1910, his daughter Lizzi married the Theater an der Wien's leading man

Hubert Marischka Hubert Marischka (27 August 1882 – 4 December 1959), brother of Ernst Marischka, was an Austrian operetta tenor, actor, film director and screenwriter. Career Marischka was born in Brunn am Gebirge, the son of Jiří (or Johann) Marisch ...

. It was Lizzi who suggested the Chinese setting for ''Die gelbe Jacke'', later revised as ''Das Land des Lächelns''. Alas, Lizzi never saw her idea reach the stage, for she died at the age of thirty after giving birth to a son in 1918. Léon dedicated the book of ''Die gelbe Jacke'' to her memory. Léon himself long survived not only his daughter, but also his younger brother and his most celebrated literary collaborator, Stein. His last stage credit was for the revision of Lehár's ''Das Fürstenkind'' as ''Der Fürst der Berge'' in 1932. Léon remained active well into the 20th century, providing the libretto for Lehár's ''

Das Land des Lächelns ''The Land of Smiles'' (German: ') is a 1929 romantic operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. The German language libretto was by and Fritz Löhner-Beda. The performance duration is about 100 minutes. This was one of Lehár's later works, and ...

'' (1930), among other works. Although not successful himself, his career brought him in contact with the biggest stars of Viennese opera during his time. Léon's property was confiscated after Austria's

annexation Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

in 1938. He died of starvation while in hiding in 1940 at the age of 82.

Works

Plays

*''Fräulein Lehrerin'', 1905 *''Der große Name'', 1909

Libretti

*''

'', 1886 (Music: Alfred Zamara) *'' Simplicius'', 1887 (Music:

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 ...

) *''Der Streik der Schmiede'', 1897 (Music: Max Josef Beer) *''

'', 1898 (Music:

) *'' Wiener Blut'', 1899 (Music: Johann Strauss II) *', 1902 (Music:

) *''Die Schönen von Fogaras'', 1903 (Music: Alfred Grünfeld) *''Barfüßele'', 1904, (Music: Richard Heuberger) * ''

Der Göttergatte ''Der Göttergatte'' (''The Divine Husband'') is an operetta, originally with a prelude and two acts, by composer Franz Lehár. It used a German language libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, and premiered on 20 January 1904 at the Carltheater ...

'', with

, 1904 (Music: Franz Lehár) *''

Die lustige Witwe ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt t ...

'', 1905 (Music: Franz Lehár) *'' The Merry Farmer'' (German: ''Der fidele Bauer''), 1907 (Music:

) *'' Die geschiedene Frau'', 1908 (Music: Leo Fall) *'' Gold gab ich für Eisen'', 1914 (Music:

Emmerich Kálmán Emmerich Kálmán ( hu, Kálmán Imre; 24 October 1882 – 30 October 1953) was a Hungarian composer of operettas and a prominent figure in the development of Viennese operetta in the 20th century. Among his most popular works are '' Die Csár ...

) *''Wiener Volkssänger'', 1919 (Music: Robert Mahler) *''Die gelbe Jacke'', 1923 (Music: Franz Lehár), later version ''

The Land of Smiles ''The Land of Smiles'' (German: ') is a 1929 romantic operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. The German language libretto was by and Fritz Löhner-Beda. The performance duration is about 100 minutes. This was one of Lehár's later works, and h ...

'', 1929

Filmography

*', directed by

(Austria, 1915) *''A koldusgróf'', directed by

Béla Balogh Béla Balogh (1 January 1885 in Székesfehérvár – 30 March 1945 in Budapest) was a Hungarian film director, one of the most prominent of the early 20th century. He was prominent in both silent and voiced productions, and is most known ...

(Hungary, 1917, based on ''Vergeltsgott'') *''Drótostót'', directed by (Hungary, 1918, based on ''Der Rastelbinder'') *''

'', directed by

Michael Curtiz Michael Curtiz ( ; born Manó Kaminer; since 1905 Mihály Kertész; hu, Kertész Mihály; December 24, 1886 April 10, 1962) was a Hungarian-American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed cla ...

(Hungary, 1918) *''Dorela'', directed by

Ernst Marischka Ernst Marischka (2 January 1893 – 12 May 1963) was an Austrian screenwriter and film director. He wrote for more than 90 films between 1913 and 1962. He also directed 29 films between 1915 and 1962. He wrote and directed the Sissi trilogy ...

(Austria, 1921) *''

'', directed by

Erich von Stroheim Erich Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Stroheim (born Erich Oswald Stroheim; September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was an Austrian-American director, actor and producer, most noted as a film star and avant-garde, visionary director of the silent era. H ...

(1925) *'' Love is Blind'', directed by

Lothar Mendes Lothar Mendes (19 May 1894 – 24 February 1974) was a German-born screenwriter and film director. His two best known films are ''Jew Süss (1934 film), Jew Süss'' (1934) and ''The Man Who Could Work Miracles'' (1936), both productions for Briti ...

(Germany, 1925) *''Der Rastelbinder'', directed by

Heinz Hanus Heinz Hanus (24 May 1882 – 16 March 1972) was an Austrian actor and film director. He directed 21 films between 1908 and 1929. His younger brother was actor and film director Emmerich Hanus. Selected filmography * ''Der Gevatter Tod'' (' ...

, and

Maurice Armand Mondet Maurice may refer to: People *Saint Maurice (died 287), Roman legionary and Christian martyr *Maurice (emperor) or Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus (539–602), Byzantine emperor *Maurice (bishop of London) (died 1107), Lord Chancellor and Lo ...

(Austria, 1926) *''

The Divorcée ''The Divorcée'' (german: Die geschiedene Frau) is a 1953 German musical film directed by George Jacoby and starring Marika Rökk, Johannes Heesters and Hans Nielsen. It was based on the operetta '' Die geschiedene Frau'' by Leo Fall and Vict ...

'', 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 Latvians, Latvian ethnicity. Selected filmography Actor * ''Your Dearest Enemy'' (1916) ...

and

Rudolf Dworsky Rudolf Dworsky (1882–1927) was a German film producer and film director, director of the Silent era. His production company was called Aafa-Film (Althoff-Ambos-Film), Berlin, the co-owner was the producer Gabriel Levy. Selected filmography Pro ...

(Germany, 1926) *''Das Fürstenkind'', 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) *'' The Merry Farmer'', directed by

Franz Seitz Franz Seitz may refer to: * Franz Seitz Sr. (1887–1952), German film director * Franz Seitz Jr. (1921–2006), German film producer See also * Franz von Seitz Franz von Seitz, born Franz Seitz (31 December 1817 – 13 April 1883) was ...

(Germany, 1927) *''

'', directed by

Max Reichmann Max Reichmann (1884-1958) was a German film director active during the silent and early sound eras. Before making his own films, Reichmann worked as an assistant director on several E.A. Dupont productions. After graduating to directing, he direc ...

(Germany, 1930) *''

'', 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 ...

(1934) *', 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 Hungarians, Hungarian actor, screenwriter, and film director, who worked principally in Germany and Aust ...

(Germany, 1939) *'' Vienna Blood'', directed by

Willi Forst Willi Forst, born Wilhelm Anton Frohs (7 April 1903 – 11 August 1980) was an Austrian actor, screenwriter, film director, film producer and singer. As a debonair actor he was a darling of the German-speaking film audiences, as a director, one o ...

(Germany, 1942) *'' The Merry Farmer'', directed by

Georg Marischka Georg Marischka (born 29 June 1922 in Vienna; died 9 August 1999 in Munich) was an Austrian actor, screen writer, director and film producer for cinema and television. Life George Marischka was born into the world of film because his father w ...

(Austria, 1951) *''

'', directed by

Curtis Bernhardt Curtis Bernhardt (15 April 1899 – 22 February 1981) was a Jewish film director born in Worms, Germany, under the name Kurt Bernhardt. He trained as an actor in Germany, and performed on the stage, before starting as a film director in 1924, wi ...

(1952) *''

'', directed by

Hans Deppe Hans Deppe (; 12 November 1897 – 23 September 1969) was a German actor and film director. Filmography As director As actor References External links * 1897 births 1969 deaths German male film actors German television dire ...

and

Erik Ode Erik Ode (born Fritz Erik Signy Odemar, 6 November 1910 – 19 July 1983) was a German director and actor who was most famous for playing Kommissar ''Herbert Keller'' in the German television drama '' Der Kommissar'' (The Police Inspector). He mar ...

(West Germany, 1952) *''

'', directed by

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

(West Germany, 1953) *', directed by

(Austria, 1956) *''

'', 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). ...

(Austria, 1962)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Leon, Viktor 1858 births 1940 deaths People from Senica Austro-Hungarian writers 19th-century Austrian people Austrian operetta librettists Austrian male writers Austro-Hungarian Jews