Composer. In his time he was one of the more successful figures of operetta's "Silver Age". Born Edmund Joseph Eisler in Vienna, he trained as an engineer but was persuaded by his friend Leo Fall to study music at the Conservatory. He was making a modest living as a piano teacher when he was introduced to librettist Ignatz Schnitzer, who presented him with a book originally intended for Johann Strauss, Jr., "The Witches' Mirror". The Vienna State Opera rejected Eysler's score as too simplistic and a publisher recommended he adapt the music to an operetta text. This became "Brother Straubinger" (1903), his first success, and from then on he devoted himself to the genre. From 1910 he was "house composer" for Vienna's Burgtheatre, which premiered all his subsequent hits: "The Immortal Tramp" (1910), "One Day in Paradise" (1913), "The Laughing Groom" (1913), "Hanni Goes Dancing!" (1916), and "The Golden Mistress" (1927). Eysler's folksy, unpretentious style was perhaps too "provincial" for export, and he did not enjoy the international acclaim of a Lehar or, for that matter, his friend Fall. But he was beloved in Austria, where he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Republic and named an Honored Citizen of Vienna. For his 60th birthday a commemorative plaque was dedicated at his birthplace. Following the German annexation of Austria in March 1938, his music was banned because he was Jewish; yet he remained in Vienna, hidden by family and friends, and the Nazis apparently made no real effort to locate him. After the war he resumed his privileged place in Viennese culture. Eysler died after falling from the stage at the Burgtheatre, where he was supervising a revival of one of his operettas. His honor grave at the Zentralfriedhof is near that of Eduard Strauss.
Composer. In his time he was one of the more successful figures of operetta's "Silver Age". Born Edmund Joseph Eisler in Vienna, he trained as an engineer but was persuaded by his friend Leo Fall to study music at the Conservatory. He was making a modest living as a piano teacher when he was introduced to librettist Ignatz Schnitzer, who presented him with a book originally intended for Johann Strauss, Jr., "The Witches' Mirror". The Vienna State Opera rejected Eysler's score as too simplistic and a publisher recommended he adapt the music to an operetta text. This became "Brother Straubinger" (1903), his first success, and from then on he devoted himself to the genre. From 1910 he was "house composer" for Vienna's Burgtheatre, which premiered all his subsequent hits: "The Immortal Tramp" (1910), "One Day in Paradise" (1913), "The Laughing Groom" (1913), "Hanni Goes Dancing!" (1916), and "The Golden Mistress" (1927). Eysler's folksy, unpretentious style was perhaps too "provincial" for export, and he did not enjoy the international acclaim of a Lehar or, for that matter, his friend Fall. But he was beloved in Austria, where he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Republic and named an Honored Citizen of Vienna. For his 60th birthday a commemorative plaque was dedicated at his birthplace. Following the German annexation of Austria in March 1938, his music was banned because he was Jewish; yet he remained in Vienna, hidden by family and friends, and the Nazis apparently made no real effort to locate him. After the war he resumed his privileged place in Viennese culture. Eysler died after falling from the stage at the Burgtheatre, where he was supervising a revival of one of his operettas. His honor grave at the Zentralfriedhof is near that of Eduard Strauss.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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