Adolph Neuendorff

June 13, 1843 (age 53)

Neuendorff made his début as a concert-pianist at Dodworth Hall in 1859. The record of his subsequent years is one of practically uninterrupted activity as a solo player, conductor, operatic manager, and composer. After serving for a year as concertmaster of the orchestra at the old Stadt Theatre in New York in 1860, he toured South America from 1861 to 1863 as a violinist. Upon his return he took over the musical directorship of the German Theatre in Milwaukee (1864 - 65). He then went to New York as chorus master for Karl Anchütz at the new Stadt Theatre, succeeding the latter as director in 1867. At his theatre Lohengrin was performed for the first time in America on April 3, 1871. In the same year he brought to America the famous German tenor, Theodor Wachtel, to sing in concert and opera. In 1872 he conducted at the Academy of Music in New York, and from 1872 to 1874 was manager of the Germania Theatre. In 1875 he gave a season of German opera in New York with Wachtel and Eugenie Pappenheim, and two years later he acted as director and conductor of the Wagner Festival in New York at which Die Walküre was given for the first time in this country, April 2, 1877. Gustav Kobbé, in The Complete Opera Book (1919), calls this première, at the Academy of Music, "an incomplete and inadequate performance with Pappenheim as Brünnhilde". In 1876 Neuendorff had attended the first performance of the Nibelungen Ring at Beyreuth as the correspondent of the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung. During 1878-79 he conducted the New York Philharmonic Society, succeeding Theodore Thomas. In the year 1881 he transferred the Germania Theatre to the building vacated by Lester Wallack and there lost a fortune in two years' time. He was subsequently active as conductor of the Promenade Concerts in Boston (1884 - 89); as conductor of the Emma Juch Opera Company (1889 - 91); and of English grand opera in New York (1892). From 1893 to 1895 he conducted at the Vienna Hofoper, where his wife was one of the prime donne. He returned to New York in 1896 and became director of music in the Temple Emanu-El, the following year succeeding Anton Seidl as conductor of the permanent orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House. His last appearance in public was as conductor of this organization at the Madison Square Roof Garden concerts during the summer of 1897. He died in New York City later in the same year.

Adolph Neuendorff Edit Profile

conductor impresario musician

Background

Adolph Heinrich Anton Magnus Neuendorff was born on June 13, 1843 in Hamburg, Germany.

Education

Neuendorff studied violin with George Matzka and Joseph Weinlich, and piano with Gustav Schilling in New York.

Career

Neuendorff made his début as a concert-pianist at Dodworth Hall in 1859. The record of his subsequent years is one of practically uninterrupted activity as a solo player, conductor, operatic manager, and composer. After serving for a year as concertmaster of the orchestra at the old Stadt Theatre in New York in 1860, he toured South America from 1861 to 1863 as a violinist. Upon his return he took over the musical directorship of the German Theatre in Milwaukee (1864 - 65).

He then went to New York as chorus master for Karl Anchütz at the new Stadt Theatre, succeeding the latter as director in 1867. At his theatre Lohengrin was performed for the first time in America on April 3, 1871. In the same year he brought to America the famous German tenor, Theodor Wachtel, to sing in concert and opera. In 1872 he conducted at the Academy of Music in New York, and from 1872 to 1874 was manager of the Germania Theatre. In 1875 he gave a season of German opera in New York with Wachtel and Eugenie Pappenheim, and two years later he acted as director and conductor of the Wagner Festival in New York at which Die Walküre was given for the first time in this country, April 2, 1877. Gustav Kobbé, in The Complete Opera Book (1919), calls this première, at the Academy of Music, "an incomplete and inadequate performance with Pappenheim as Brünnhilde". In 1876 Neuendorff had attended the first performance of the Nibelungen Ring at Beyreuth as the correspondent of the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung. During 1878-79 he conducted the New York Philharmonic Society, succeeding Theodore Thomas.

In the year 1881 he transferred the Germania Theatre to the building vacated by Lester Wallack and there lost a fortune in two years' time. He was subsequently active as conductor of the Promenade Concerts in Boston (1884 - 89); as conductor of the Emma Juch Opera Company (1889 - 91); and of English grand opera in New York (1892). From 1893 to 1895 he conducted at the Vienna Hofoper, where his wife was one of the prime donne. He returned to New York in 1896 and became director of music in the Temple Emanu-El, the following year succeeding Anton Seidl as conductor of the permanent orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House.

His last appearance in public was as conductor of this organization at the Madison Square Roof Garden concerts during the summer of 1897. He died in New York City later in the same year.

Achievements

Neuendorff had conducted opera and choral societies in practically all of the larger cities of the United States and produced some forty operas while at the Stadt Theatre in New York. He probably did more to bring German drama to a high state of development in New York than any other one man.

Works

$Rat-Charmer\'s Song, Der Rattenfanger Von Hameln, the Rat-Charmer\'s Song, Der Rattenfanger Von Hameln, the$

book
- Rat-Charmer's Song, Der Rattenfanger Von Hameln, the

Connections

His wife was Georgine von Januschowsky.

Spouse:: Georgine von Januschowsky

References

The History of American Music (Classic Reprint)

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