Richard Keßler (librettist)

Richard Keßler , also spelled Kessler , pseudonym: Friedrich Richards , (* July 6, 1875 in Berlin ; † January 2, 1960 there ) was a German librettist, playwright, theater director, screenwriter and songwriter of the light muse .

Life

Keßler came from Berlin and was the only son of the rentier Richard Keßler. After finishing school, Richard was originally supposed to take over the printing press of a close relative, but he preferred to devote himself to writing verse and poetry. In 1896, at the age of 20, he took over the post of director of the Berlin guest performance ensemble . In the same year he made a guest appearance with this ensemble in Reichenberg in Austria-Hungary . In later years he devoted himself increasingly to writing libretti for operettas and writing comedies. In some cases, he worked with Curt Kraatz ( Der rejuvenated Adolar , 1920) and Arthur Rebner . His texts were u. a. Set to music by Victor Hollaender , Rudolf Nelson , Walter Wilhelm Goetze , Richard Fall , Walter Kollo , Robert Winterberg , Walter Bromme , Hugo Hirsch , Oscar Straus and Eduard Künneke .

Richard Keßler worked at various theaters, including under his friend General Manager Max Berg-Ehlert in Altenburg and finally returned to Berlin, where he died in 1960 at the age of 85.

Works (selection)

• After the honeymoon , Berlin, [1913]
• Germania company , Berlin, [1914]
• The sweet Pusselchen or please very friendly! Farce with singing in 1 act , Berlin, [1914]
• Chaste Joseph or the fear of love. Schwank in 1 act, based on the French , Berlin, [1918]
• The connoisseur of women. Comedy in three acts , Berlin, [1918]
• Career , comedy, also based on the film comedy Der rosa Diamant , 1926 (screenplay by Hans Rameau and Franz Schulz )
• Do you need a reason for divorce? Comedy in three acts , Berlin, 1930
• The Duchess's tenor , operetta in three acts, music by Eduard Künneke , Prague 1930
• Liselott , operetta in three acts, music by Eduard Künneke, Berlin 1932
• Marriage not excluded! Comedy with music in three acts and a prelude , Berlin, 1935
• The gentleman in the top hat. Schwank in three acts , Berlin, 1938
• One shouldn't write letters! Comedy with music in three acts , Berlin, 1941

literature

• The ramp. Theater yearbook of the Association of German Stage Writers, 1911–1913, 1913, p. 44.

Web links

• Richard Keßler at filmportal.de
• Richard Kessler in the Internet Movie Database (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The Speaking Arts. Leipzig concert hall. Journal for music and literature with special consideration of Leipzig's musical life, Volume 2, 1896, p. 1215.