Weber, Bernhard Anselin

1766-1821

Piano virtuoso; born at Mannheim. He studied piano of Einberger, Holtzbauer and Abt Vogler, and at the University of Heidelberg took up law, theology and philosophy, but ultimately decided to make music his profession. As a concert-player on Rollig's new instrument, the zanorphia, he traveled extensively, and in 1787 became director at the Hanover Theatre. In 1790 he traveled through Germany and Holland to Stockholm with Abt Vogler, and on his return in 1792 became second kapellmeister at the Konigstadt Theatre in Berlin, and after its combination with Italian Ooera, became Royal kapellmeister. He wrote several operas, operettas and melodramas, among them being Mudarra; Hero; Der Kosak und der Freiwillige; Hermann und Thusnelda and Hyala und Evander.