Kauer, Ferdinand

1751-1831

Was chiefly known as a writer of the Singspiel or musical farce. He was born at Klein-Thaya in Moravia and died at Vienna. He began his musical career as organist of a Jesuit College at Znaim as a boy. He taught at Rumburg, studied medicine at Tyrnau, then went to Vienna, where he taught piano and became a pupil of Heidenreich in counterpart. In 1795 he was first violin at Marinelli's Theatre, then played or led at other theatres, at last becoming violoncellist at the Leopoldstadter Theatre. He wrote two hundred operas, light operas and singspiels; twenty masses; other church-music; oratorios; symphonies; and cantatas. The best known of his works are the operas, Die Sternenkonigen, and Das Donauweibchen, and an oratorio, Die Sundfluth.