Lichtenstein, Karl August, Freiherr von
Lichtenstein, Karl August, Freiherr von
Lichtenstein, Karl August, Freiherr von, German theater manager, conductor, and composer; b. Lahm, Franconia, Sept. 8,1767; d. Berlin, Sept. 10,1845. He studied in Gotha and then in Göttingen with Forkel. He gained attention as composer of the opera Glück und Zufall (Hannover, 1793) and the Singspiel Knall und Fall (Bamberg, 1795), and then was made manager of the Dessau Opera, where his opera Bathmendi opened its new theater (Dec. 26, 1798). Then followed his popular Singspiel Die steinerne Braut (1799). He was made conductor and artistic director of the Vienna Court Theater (1800). After a period in the diplomatic service, he resumed his musical career as director of the Bamberg theater (1813–14). He was music director in Strasbourg (1814–17), then went to Berlin (1823), where he was music director of the Royal Opera (1825–32). He wrote 17 works for the stage.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire