Emmerich Kalman

Full biography Emmerich Kalman

Emmerich Kálmán (also known as Imre Kálmán) was a famous Hungarian composer of operettas in the early 20th century. He was born on October 24th, 1882, in the town of Siófok, Hungary, and died on October 30th, 1953, in Paris, France.

Kálmán was a leading figure of the Silver Age of operetta in Vienna, Austria, writing some of the most popular and enduring works of the genre. His first major success was the operetta "Tatárjárás" (The Gay Hussars), which premiered in Budapest in 1908. He went on to write many more operettas, including "Grafin Mariza" (Countess Maritza), "Die Csárdásfürstin" (The Gypsy Princess), and "Das Veilchen vom Montmartre" (The Violet of Montmartre), among others.

Kálmán's music was known for its melodic beauty, rhythmic vivacity, and charming orchestrations. He was often compared to Johann Strauss Jr. for his ability to capture the spirit of the waltz, though he also drew heavily on Hungarian folk music for inspiration.

Kálmán lived through tumultuous times in Europe, experiencing both World War I and World War II. Though his music remained popular throughout this period, his Jewish heritage made him a target of the Nazis. In 1938, he fled Austria for Paris, where he lived out the rest of his life.

Today, Kálmán's operettas remain popular in Europe and beyond. His music has been recorded by many famous artists and has been adapted for film and television. He is remembered as one of the most important composers of operetta in the 20th century, and his works continue to be celebrated for their beauty and charm.