Ferdinand Palffy von Erdöd
Encyclopedia
Count Ferdinánd Pálffy de Erdőd (Vienna
, 1 February 1774 — Vienna, 4 February 1840) was a mining engineer and civil servant of the Austrian Empire
who is better remembered for his role in managing the Theater an der Wien
, Vienna, in pursuit of which he lost his not inconsiderable fortune and retired from his creditors in Vienna.
The son of Count Lipót Pálffy de Erdőd (1739–1799), he attended the mining institute at Schemnitz, now Banská Štiavnica
, Slovakia, in 1794-96, where he remained in government service before returning to Vienna in 1806 to work in the ministry of mines. He was among the association of court nobles that acquired the Theater an der Wien
in 1807, as well as the leases of the other two theatres patronised by the court, the Burgtheater
and the Theater am Kärntnertor
. By degrees he became solely responsible for the court theaters, and in 1813 he acquired outright the Theater an der Wien, inducing Louis Spohr
to come from his court appointment at Gotha
to conduct its orchestra. During the period of his proprietorship, which lasted until 1826, he offered opera
and ballet
and, to appeal to a wider Viennese audience, popular pantomime
and variety acts, losing money in elaborate spectacles until he was forced to sell the theater at auction in 1826, and to disperse his library and collection of mineral specimens. Fearing arrest for his outstanding debts, he fled Vienna for Pressburg (Bratislava
) where he remained for several years.
Under Count Pálffy, the Theater an der Wien saw the premiere of Helmina von Chézy
's Rosamunda, which sank without a trace, save for its incidental music by Franz Schubert
, whose Die Zauberharfe found eight performances at the Theater, for which Schubert dedicated to Palffy his Sonata in B flat (D617). He found fault with Louis Spohr
's opera, Faust
(1813), so that it found its premiere in Prague.
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...
, 1 February 1774 — Vienna, 4 February 1840) was a mining engineer and civil servant of the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
who is better remembered for his role in managing 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...
, Vienna, in pursuit of which he lost his not inconsiderable fortune and retired from his creditors in Vienna.
The son of Count Lipót Pálffy de Erdőd (1739–1799), he attended the mining institute at Schemnitz, now Banská Štiavnica
Banská Štiavnica
Banská Štiavnica is a town in central Slovakia, in the middle of an immense caldera created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. For its size, the caldera is known as Štiavnica Mountains. Banská Štiavnica has a population of more than 10,000. It is a completely preserved medieval town...
, Slovakia, in 1794-96, where he remained in government service before returning to Vienna in 1806 to work in the ministry of mines. He was among the association of court nobles that acquired 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...
in 1807, as well as the leases of the other two theatres patronised by the court, 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...
and the Theater am Kärntnertor
Theater am Kärntnertor
Theater am Kärntnertor or Kärntnertortheater was a prestigious theatre in Vienna during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries...
. By degrees he became solely responsible for the court theaters, and in 1813 he acquired outright the Theater an der Wien, inducing Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr was a German composer, violinist and conductor. Born Ludewig Spohr, he is usually known by the French form of his name. Described by Dorothy Mayer as "The Forgotten Master", Spohr was once as famous as Beethoven. As a violinist, his virtuoso playing was admired by Queen Victoria...
to come from his court appointment at Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
to conduct its orchestra. During the period of his proprietorship, which lasted until 1826, he offered opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and, to appeal to a wider Viennese audience, popular pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
and variety acts, losing money in elaborate spectacles until he was forced to sell the theater at auction in 1826, and to disperse his library and collection of mineral specimens. Fearing arrest for his outstanding debts, he fled Vienna for Pressburg (Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
) where he remained for several years.
Under Count Pálffy, the Theater an der Wien saw the premiere of Helmina von Chézy
Helmina von Chézy
Helmina von Chézy , born Wilhelmine von Klencke, was a German journalist, poet and playwright, most famous for writing the libretto for Carl Maria von Weber's opera Euryanthe and the play Rosamunde, for which Franz Schubert provided incidental music.This article uses material from the German...
's Rosamunda, which sank without a trace, save for its incidental music by Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
, whose Die Zauberharfe found eight performances at the Theater, for which Schubert dedicated to Palffy his Sonata in B flat (D617). He found fault with Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr
Louis Spohr was a German composer, violinist and conductor. Born Ludewig Spohr, he is usually known by the French form of his name. Described by Dorothy Mayer as "The Forgotten Master", Spohr was once as famous as Beethoven. As a violinist, his virtuoso playing was admired by Queen Victoria...
's opera, Faust
Faust (Spohr)
Faust is an opera by the German composer Louis Spohr. The libretto, by Josef Karl Bernard, is based on the legend of Faust; it is not influenced by Goethe's Faust, though Faust: The First Part of the Tragedy had been published in 1808. Instead, Carl Bernard's libretto draws mainly on Faust plays...
(1813), so that it found its premiere in Prague.