Ludwig Zirner

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Ernst Ludwig Zirner (born February 27, 1906 in Vienna , Austria-Hungary ; † February 9, 1971 in Urbana , Illinois ) was an Austrian -American musician ( concert pianist ) and opera director .

Career

Ludwig Zirner was born as the son of Ella Elise Zirner (1878–1970), the heiress of the famous Viennese clothing store Ludwig Zwieback & Bruder , his father was Franz Schmidt . "Ludi" was adopted by Alexander Zirner (1863–1924), his mother's husband. His older half-siblings were Renée Katharina (Kitty) Erös (1899–1948) and Hans Erich Zirner (1900–1960?).

Ludwig Zirner graduated from the Vienna Music Academy with a diploma as a concert pianist, sometimes he studied - against the will of his also very musical mother - cello, piano and composition with his biological father - without knowing it, as he was only informed about the fact in 1961 that Schmidt was his father. At his mother's request, in 1930 he took over the management of the Ludwig Zwieback & Bruder Co.

On February 17, 1939, he emigrated with his mother to the United States in New York , where he was employed by Orbachs, 14th at Union Square, on March 28. From around 1948 Zirner became Music Director at the University of Illinois and founded the Opera Workshop there in 1950. He became head of the opera department at the School of Music. Zirner also taught at Stanford University and other American universities. He has also produced, staged and conducted operas at various music festivals, many of which were American premieres. He also served as the artistic advisor to the American National Opera Company.

Zirner had been married to the costume designer Laura Beata Wärndorfer (* October 17, 1915, † September 14, 1984) - from the Fritz Waerndorfers family , co-founder of the Wiener Werkstätte - since February 3, 1942 . Both son is the actor August Zirner .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Lisa Silverman: Becoming Austrians: Jews and Culture between the World Wars , Oxford University Press 2012.
  2. ^ Norbert Tschulik, Franz Schmidt; Critical Biography (London, England, 1980. Translation: Angela Toltoscher).
  3. ↑ Ludwig Heinrich: "Abduction from the Seraglio": The torn, not the abducted. In: Upper Austrian news . June 8, 2010 .;
personal data
SURNAME Zirner, Ludwig
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Zirner, Ernst Ludwig (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian-American musician (concert pianist) and opera director
DATE OF BIRTH February 27, 1906
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna , Austria-Hungary
DATE OF DEATH February 9, 1971
Place of death Urbana , Illinois , United States