Friedrich Von Flotow (redirected from Friedrich, Baron von Flotow)

Flotow, Friedrich Von 

Born Apr. 26, 1812, in Teutendorf; died Jan. 24, 1883, in Darmstadt. German composer.

Flotow received his musical education in Paris, studying piano with J. Pixis and composition with A. Reicha. Flotow’s chief works were operas for the Paris stage and for Viennese theaters. His music is melodic and pleasant but somewhat superficial. The plot of one of his first operas, Pierre et Catherine (Schwerin, 1835), was based on a Russian historical event. Flotow became known after writing the opera Le Naufrage de la Méduse (Paris, 1839; 2nd version entitled Die Matrosen, 1845). Among his best works were Alessandro Stradella (Hamburg, 1844) and Martha, oder Der Markt von Richmond (Vienna, 1847). From 1855 to 1863, Flotow was intendant of the court theater in Schwerin. In 1868 he settled near Vienna, and after 1880 he lived near Darmstadt.

REFERENCE

Serov, A. N. “‘Marta’: Opera v chetyrekh deistviiakh, soch. Flotova.” In his book Izbr. stat’i, vol. 2. Moscow, 1957.