Krebs (real name, Miedcke), Carl August

Krebs (real name, Miedcke), Carl August, German conductor and composer; b. Nuremberg, Jan. 16, 1804; d. Dresden, May 16, 1880. He studied with the tenor and composer Johann Baptist Krebs (1774–1851), who legally adopted him. He made his debut as a pianist at 6, and then commenced composing at 7. After studies with Schelble, he continued his training with Seyfried in Vienna (1825); then was 3^rd Kapellmeister at the Karnthnertortheater there. He subsequently was Kapellmeister in Hamburg (1827–50), where he brought out the operas Sylvia (Feb. 4, 1830) and Agnes (Oct. 8, 1833; rev. as Agnes Bernauer, Dresden, 1858). He succeeded Wagner as Kapellmeister of the Dresden Court Opera (1850), where he remained until 1872; then was director of music of the city’s Roman Catholic church. Krebs championed the works of Spontini, Meyerbeer, and the young Wagner. He wrote sacred music, piano pieces, and numerous songs, several of which became well known in his day. He married the mezzo-soprano Aloysia Michalesi (b. Prague, Aug. 29, 1826; d. Dresden, Aug. 5, 1904) in 1850; she made her debut in Brunn in 1843, then sang in Hamburg and Dresden. She retired from opera (1870) and subsequently appeared in concerts and taught. Their daughter Marie Krebs (b. Dresden, Dec. 5, 1851; d. there, June 27, 1900) was a talented pianist; made her debut in Meissen when she was 11. She later toured throughout Europe, becoming quite popular in England. She accompanied Vieuxtemps on a concert tour of the U.S. in 1870.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire