Franz Lehár

Franz Lehár was born in what was then Austria-Hungary on 30 April 1870. He built a career as a composer, working primarily in operetta — the lighter, tuneful cousin of opera that traded grand tragedy for romance and wit. His breakthrough and enduring success came with Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow), which became the most famous operetta of its era and remained his calling card for decades. He continued composing operettas throughout his life, though none matched the reach of that first triumph. Lehár died on 24 October 1948, leaving behind a catalogue that defined the sound of Viennese op…