Alexander Girardi
Encyclopedia
Alexander Girardi (5 December 1850 – 20 April 1918) was an Austrian] actor
and tenor
singer in operetta
s.
; his father was the locksmith
Andreas Girardi who had migrated to Graz from Cortina d'Ampezzo
. Following the early death of his father, Alexander Girardi was raised by his stepfather who put him into a locksmith apprenticeship
. Against his stepfather's wishes, he joined the amateur theatre Die Tonhalle, where his acting talent was discovered; this led to an engagement at the Vienna
Strampfer-Theater.
In 1874 Girardi moved to the Theater an der Wien
, where he continued to work for 22 years. In 1896/97 he worked at the Carltheater
and then two years at the Volkstheater
in Vienna. He also had guest appearances at other important theatres in Vienna and toured Germany (Berlin, Hamburg, Dresden).
One of his most renowned roles was Valentin in Ferdinand Raimund
's Der Verschwender, particularly his rendition of the "Hobellied", the most famous number of the stage music by Conradin Kreutzer
.
At the beginning of World War I
Girardi retired from the stage and returned to Graz. Two months before his death in 1918, he was called to the Burgtheater
in Vienna to play the role of Fortunatus Wurzel in Ferdinand Raimunds's Der Bauer als Millionär.
Girardi was unhappily married to Helene Odilon. Odilon had many affairs and had Girardi committed
to a mental asylum (based on a certificate by Julius Wagner-Jauregg
, who had not seen Girardi). Odilon and Girardi divorced in 1896. The actress Katharina Schratt
persuaded Emperor Franz Joseph
to release Girardi.
Aged 67, Alexander Girardi died on 20 April 1918 in Vienna. He is buried at the Vienna Zentralfriedhof
, grave 33E-9-16.
Girardi's staple stage role was the comic. He worked in the tradition of Ferdinand Raimund
and Johann Nestroy
, and he made a significant contribution to the popular Vienna operetta
. Girardi created the roles of Blasoni in Johann Strauss
's Cagliostro in Wien
(1875), Andredl in Karl Millöcker
's Das verwunschene Schloss (1878), Jan Janicki in Millöcker's Der Bettelstudent
(1882), Benozzo in Millöcker's Gasparone
(1884), Kálmán Zsupán in Strauss's The Gypsy Baron
(1885), Adam in Carl Zeller
's Der Vogelhändler
(1891), title role in Edmund Eysler
's Bruder Straubinger (1903). He contributed greatly to the Golden Age
of Vienna operetta.
The dish Girardirostbraten (Girardi roast beef
) is named after him – a beef dish heavily covered with bacon
and button mushrooms. His favourite hat style, a straw hat with flat crown and brim (a boater
), became popular as the Giradi Hat. The city of Graz and the Vienna Mariahilf
district have a Giradigasse (Girardi Lane) and there is a Girardipark in the district Innere Stadt
. The Alexander Girardi International Singing Competition in Coburg
is named after him.
, sung by Alexander Girardi
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
singer in operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
s.
Career
Girardi was born in GrazGraz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
; his father was the locksmith
Locksmithing
Locksmithing began as the science and art of making and defeating locks. A lock is a mechanism that secures buildings, rooms, cabinets, objects, or other storage facilities. A key is often used to open a lock...
Andreas Girardi who had migrated to Graz from Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
. Following the early death of his father, Alexander Girardi was raised by his stepfather who put him into a locksmith apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
. Against his stepfather's wishes, he joined the amateur theatre Die Tonhalle, where his acting talent was discovered; this led to an engagement at the Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
Strampfer-Theater.
In 1874 Girardi moved to the Theater an der Wien
Theater an der Wien
The Theater an der Wien is a historic theatre on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district of Vienna. Completed in 1801, it has seen the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music...
, where he continued to work for 22 years. In 1896/97 he worked at the Carltheater
Carltheater
The Carltheater was a theatre in Vienna. It was in the suburbs in Leopoldstadt at Praterstraße 31 .It was the successor to the Leopoldstädter Theater. After a series of financial difficulties, that theater had been sold in 1838 to the director, Carl Carl, who continued to run it in parallel to his...
and then two years at the Volkstheater
Volkstheater, Vienna
The Volkstheater in Vienna was founded in 1889 by request of the citizens of Vienna, amongst them the dramatist Ludwig Anzengruber and the furniture manufacturer Thonet, in order to offer a popular counter weight to the Hofburgtheater...
in Vienna. He also had guest appearances at other important theatres in Vienna and toured Germany (Berlin, Hamburg, Dresden).
One of his most renowned roles was Valentin in Ferdinand Raimund
Ferdinand Raimund
Ferdinand Raimund was an Austrian actor and dramatist.- Life and work :...
's Der Verschwender, particularly his rendition of the "Hobellied", the most famous number of the stage music by Conradin Kreutzer
Conradin Kreutzer
Conradin Kreutzer or Kreuzer was a German composer and conductor. His works include the opera for which he is remembered, Das Nachtlager in Granada, and Der Verschwender, both produced in 1834.Kreutzer owes his fame almost exclusively to Das Nachtlager in Granada , which kept the stage for...
.
At the beginning of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Girardi retired from the stage and returned to Graz. Two months before his death in 1918, he was called to the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
in Vienna to play the role of Fortunatus Wurzel in Ferdinand Raimunds's Der Bauer als Millionär.
Girardi was unhappily married to Helene Odilon. Odilon had many affairs and had Girardi committed
Involuntary commitment
Involuntary commitment or civil commitment is a legal process through which an individual with symptoms of severe mental illness is court-ordered into treatment in a hospital or in the community ....
to a mental asylum (based on a certificate by Julius Wagner-Jauregg
Julius Wagner-Jauregg
Julius Wagner-Jauregg was an Austrian physician, Nobel Laureate, and Nazi supporter.-Early life:...
, who had not seen Girardi). Odilon and Girardi divorced in 1896. The actress Katharina Schratt
Katharina Schratt
Katharina Schratt was an Austrian actress who became "the uncrowned Empress of Austria" as the mistress and confidante of Emperor Franz Joseph....
persuaded Emperor Franz Joseph
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
to release Girardi.
Aged 67, Alexander Girardi died on 20 April 1918 in Vienna. He is buried at the Vienna Zentralfriedhof
Zentralfriedhof
The Zentralfriedhof is one of the largest cemeteries in the world, largest by number of interred in Europe and most famous cemetery among Vienna's nearly 50 cemeteries.-Name and location:...
, grave 33E-9-16.
Girardi's staple stage role was the comic. He worked in the tradition of Ferdinand Raimund
Ferdinand Raimund
Ferdinand Raimund was an Austrian actor and dramatist.- Life and work :...
and Johann Nestroy
Johann Nestroy
Johann Nepomuk Eduard Ambrosius Nestroy was a singer, actor and playwright in the popular Austrian tradition of the Biedermeier period and its immediate aftermath...
, and he made a significant contribution to the popular Vienna operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
. Girardi created the roles of Blasoni in Johann Strauss
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
's Cagliostro in Wien
Cagliostro in Wien
Cagliostro in Wien is an operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss II to a libretto by F. ZellF. Zell was the pen name of Camillo Walzel . and Richard Genée...
(1875), Andredl in Karl Millöcker
Karl Millöcker
Carl Joseph Millöcker , was an Austrian composer of operettas and a conductor.He was born in Vienna, where he studied the flute at the Vienna Conservatory. While holding various conducting posts in the city, he began to compose operettas...
's Das verwunschene Schloss (1878), Jan Janicki in Millöcker's Der Bettelstudent
Der Bettelstudent
Der Bettelstudent is an operetta in three acts by Carl Millöcker with a German libretto by Camillo Walzel and Richard Genée, based on Les noces de Fernande by Victorien Sardou and The Lady of Lyons by Edward Bulwer-Lytton...
(1882), Benozzo in Millöcker's Gasparone
Gasparone
Gasparone is an operetta in three acts by Carl Millöcker to a German libretto by Friedrich Zell and Richard Genée. The libretto was later revised by Ernst Steffan and Paul Knepler...
(1884), Kálmán Zsupán in Strauss's The Gypsy Baron
The Gypsy Baron
The Gypsy Baron is an operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss II which premiered at the Theater an der Wien on 24 October 1885. Its libretto was by the author Ignaz Schnitzer and in turn was based on Sáffi by Mór Jókai. During the composer's lifetime, the operetta enjoyed great success, second...
(1885), Adam in Carl Zeller
Carl Zeller
Carl Adam Johann Nepomuk Zeller was an Austrian composer of operettas.Zeller was born in Sankt Peter in der Au, the only child of physician Johann Zeller and Maria Anna Elizabeth. Zeller's father died before his first birthday, after which his mother remarried Ernest Friedinger...
's Der Vogelhändler
Der Vogelhändler
Der Vogelhändler is an operetta in three acts by Carl Zeller with a libretto by Moritz West and Ludwig Held based on Varin and Biéville's Ce que deviennent les roses....
(1891), title role in Edmund Eysler
Edmund Eysler
Edmund Samuel Eysler , was an Austrian composer.-Biography:Edmund Eysler was born in Vienna to a merchant family...
's Bruder Straubinger (1903). He contributed greatly to the Golden Age
Golden Age (metaphor)
A golden age is a period in a field of endeavour when great tasks were accomplished. The term originated from early Greek and Roman poets who used to refer to a time when mankind lived in a better time and was pure .-Golden Age in society:...
of Vienna operetta.
Honours
Giradi's life was the subject of the 1954 film Der Komödiant von Wien.The dish Girardirostbraten (Girardi roast beef
Roast beef
Roast beef is a dish of beef which is roasted in an oven. Essentially prepared as a main meal, the leftovers can be and are often served within sandwiches and sometimes is used to make hash...
) is named after him – a beef dish heavily covered with bacon
Bacon
Bacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
and button mushrooms. His favourite hat style, a straw hat with flat crown and brim (a boater
Boater
Boater may refer to:*Boater, a type of hat*Boater, one of the first disposable diapers*Someone involved in boating...
), became popular as the Giradi Hat. The city of Graz and the Vienna Mariahilf
Mariahilf
Mariahilf is the 6th municipal district of Vienna, Austria . It is near the center of Vienna and was established as a district in 1850. Mariahilf is a heavily populated urban area with many residential buildings....
district have a Giradigasse (Girardi Lane) and there is a Girardipark in the district Innere Stadt
Innere Stadt
The Innere Stadt is the 1st municipal District of Vienna . The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Until the city boundaries were expanded in 1850, the Innere Stadt was congruent with the city of Vienna...
. The Alexander Girardi International Singing Competition in Coburg
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
is named after him.
External links
, by Gustav PickGustav Pick
Gustav Pick , born in Rechnitz , was a musician and composer of Viennese songs. He created one of the most popular Wienerlieder, the Fiakerlied. The first time it was sung by the famous actor Alexander Girardi.- External links :...
, sung by Alexander Girardi
- Alexander Girardi (Wikipedia Person Search)