Franz von Suppe, born on April 18, 1819, was one of the founders of Viennese operetta, attaining a
position in Austria comparable to that of Jacques Offenbach in France.
Suppe wrote over 200 compositions for the stage, including 30
operettas, farces, and incidental music. Nearly all these works have
slipped into oblivion, but some of their sparkling overtures have
survived and remain popular as light music, especially "Morning, Noon
and Night in Vienna" (1844), "Poet and Peasant" (1846), and "Light
Cavalry" (1866). In the United States, Suppe's music is probably best
known for its frequent appearance on the soundtracks of old Hollywood
movies and cartoons. Suppe was born in Split, Dalmatia, of Italian
and Belgian descent. His real name was Francesco Ezechiele Ermenegildo
Suppe-Demelli. He spent most of his life in Vienna and was
Kapellmeister of the prestigious Theatre an der Wien from 1845 to 1862.
Suppe was also a noted vocalist and sang bass roles in some of his
early operettas.
His passed away on May 21, 1895 in Vienna.
