Sebastian Mayer

Friedrich Sebastian Mayer ( born April 5, 1773 in Benediktbeuren; † May 9, 1835 in Vienna ) was an Austrian singer ( bass), composer and director.

Life

Mayer studied in Munich and Salzburg theology, but then decided on a career in the theater. In 1792 he went as a bass player at the theater in Linz and was eventually hired by Emanuel Schikaneder for its Freihaustheater, where he made ​​his debut on September 9, 1793 Sarastro in The Magic Flute.

On December 23, 1797 he married the widowed Josepha Hofer born Weber, a sister of Constanze Mozart.

At the premiere of Beethoven's opera Fidelio, which took place on November 20, 1805 at the Theater an der Wien, he took over the role of Pizarro. At the premiere of the second version, on 29 March 1806 he also directed. There are two letters Beethoven passed down to Mayer, who take on the second performance on April 10, reference, first-name basis in the Beethoven Mayer and asks him to " take care that the choirs will be even better rehearsed, because it is the leztemal missing proficient been, we must Thursdays Another sample with the entire orchestra in the theater have ".

Of 20 January 1815 to 30 June 1827 he was a member of the Vienna Court Theatre. He also wrote romances of chivalry and stage plays, including Frederick the last Count of Toggenburg ( 1794), and the magic opera Rosalinda, The Power of the Fairies (1796 ).

Ignaz Franz Castelli writes about him:

" Sebastian Meyer. This man was as a singer (bass) is not very significant, but a brave actor, and opera director as a most excellent protector and propagator of the truly good and beautiful. No one has worked in Vienna as for the improvement of opera music, and therefore also for the improvement of taste in terms of music Major as he. With deep musical knowledge equipped, it was less the duty was incumbent on him as a director, but more fine love for the art that he brought in the Theater an der Wien opera into existence that could compete not only with the Court Opera, but this exceeded by far. It was he who prescribed the better French operas, she had it translated and then sat with great care in the scene. Cherubini, Catel, Dallayrac, Mehul, Boieuldieu, Isouard were known by him first the Viennese and popular with them. Who " Lodoiska ", " Semiramis ", the " Bernhard Berg", the " tower of Gothenburg, " " John of Paris ", " Aschenbrödl ", the " s two foxes ", " Johanna ", the " make -keepers " and w. has seen on this stage, where they were under Meyer's leadership as well sung as played, which is the pleasure which they granted him never forget; yes Meyer knew the taste to captivate so that even small operettas, such as the " treasure hunter ", " farmer Robert " w & c. This large playhouse ten or twenty crowded. The two brothers Seyfried supported him quite extraordinary. Joseph von Seyfried was a quick and happy translator, and Ignaz von Seyfried one of the ablest Capellmeister, after Sechter probably the largest Contrapunctist what his dignified Kirchencompositionen prove, and evidenced by his many students, which he has formed in the Composition give testimony. In the composition of operas, he was not so lucky, but it happened often that he composed on older arrangement Meyers French operas such as " Richard the Lionheart ", excellent new instrumentirte and to others a new piece of music as the best the opera was recognized. I was several years daily evening after the theater with Meyer, and got to know this man completely. Since he usually saw through newer French opera scores, and I had him - because he did not understand French - explain the content; then he was either Seyfried or my opera translate, and at the same time pointing us the amendments to which we have to take it, called us the places where new songs were on, and let them sealed by us, by the Kapellmeister Seyfried or Fischer compose. Older operas, such as " Richard the Lionheart " and " Raoul Bluebeard ," he was quite new instrument Irish; so it was that the Theater an der Wien always news, well presented, brought, and at that time was the most popular theater in Vienna. Even at his age, where he worked as an opera singer could no longer work, by his passion for good music did not leave, he sang in oratorios and in churches in the chorus, and I've seen run more often in expressive points of joy on his already furrowed cheeks. Sebastian Meyer would have made ​​for his merit, the public's taste for good opera music, deserves an award; later this kind have received awards Those who worsened by common Italian dalliance taste again. "

Sebastian Mayer's last apartment was on the Laimgrube No. 27, where he was " on the abdominal dropsy " died on 9 May 1835.

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