Emanuel Schikaneder (1751-1812) - Stich aus der Zeit um 1800, Fotografie, um 1920?

Emanuel Schikaneder, originally Johann Joseph Schickeneder, from Straubing worked as actor, theater director, playwright and librettist. In 1789 he became director of the Vienna Theater im Freihaus. Later he founded the Theater an der Wien in Vienna in 1801.

Schickaneder made himself a name especially by the performance of Mozart's opera "Die Zauberflöte" (The Magic Flute) in 1791 for which he had written the playbook. In 1803 he and Beethoven worked on an opera ("Vestas Feuer"). Beethoven wrote the music for some of the works in Schickaneder's libretto. However, he did not continue as he believed the text was not meaningful enough.(S.B.)