Composer, Conductor. As director of the Austrian Court Ballet from 1883, he was musical leader of his country's ballet scene for 30 years. Bayer's stage works did little to advance the genre to an art form, but the best of them still have the power to charm with their light, toe-tapping melodies. "The Fairy Doll" (1888), his best known effort, was very popular in Europe right up until World War I. It remains a repertory staple at the Vienna State Opera, where it has been performed over 800 times. Bayer spent his whole life in his birthplace of Vienna, and studied at the Vienna Conservatory. Anton Bruckner was one of his teachers. In 1870 he joined the Court Opera Orchestra as a violinist and continued in this post until he resigned (or was dismissed) when Gustav Mahler became music director in 1898. He composed over 20 one-act ballets, among them "Vienna Waltzes" (1885), a witty survey of that dance's evolution from Weber to Strauss, "Austrian Marches" (1888), and "Sun and Earth" (1889). Bayer also wrote "Around Vienna" (1894) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Johann Strauss, Jr.'s professional debut, and arranged Strauss's unfinished ballet "Cinderella" for its premiere performance in 1901.
Composer, Conductor. As director of the Austrian Court Ballet from 1883, he was musical leader of his country's ballet scene for 30 years. Bayer's stage works did little to advance the genre to an art form, but the best of them still have the power to charm with their light, toe-tapping melodies. "The Fairy Doll" (1888), his best known effort, was very popular in Europe right up until World War I. It remains a repertory staple at the Vienna State Opera, where it has been performed over 800 times. Bayer spent his whole life in his birthplace of Vienna, and studied at the Vienna Conservatory. Anton Bruckner was one of his teachers. In 1870 he joined the Court Opera Orchestra as a violinist and continued in this post until he resigned (or was dismissed) when Gustav Mahler became music director in 1898. He composed over 20 one-act ballets, among them "Vienna Waltzes" (1885), a witty survey of that dance's evolution from Weber to Strauss, "Austrian Marches" (1888), and "Sun and Earth" (1889). Bayer also wrote "Around Vienna" (1894) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Johann Strauss, Jr.'s professional debut, and arranged Strauss's unfinished ballet "Cinderella" for its premiere performance in 1901.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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