Kreutzer, Conradin

1780-1849

Opera composer, pianist, singer and conductor. He was a German, born  at Messkirch, and began his musical career in the choir, first at Messkirch and then at Zwiefalten and Scheussenried. He studied medicine for a short time at Freiburg, but soon gave all his attention to music. His first operetta, Die lacherliche Werbung, appeared in Freiburg in 1800, and four years later he went to Vienna to make a special study of opera composition under Albrechtsberger. He brought out .flisop in Phrygien and Jery und Bately there, and later two grand operas, Conradin von Schwaben, and Der Taucher, at Stuttgart, where the former was received so enthusiastically that the composer was given the position of chapelmaster to the King of Wurtemberg in 1812. Later he entered the service of Prince von Fürstenberg. He returned to Vienna soon and produced Libussa, and after that became conductor in several theatres. He wrote thirty operas, only three of which, Das Nachtlager von Granada, his best work, Verschwender, and Jery und Bately, are still played; an oratorio; some excellent male choruses; some cRurch-music; and lighter pieces.