Strakosch, Maurice
Strakosch, Maurice
Strakosch, Maurice, Bohemian pianist and impresario; b. Gross-Seelowitz, near Brunn, Jan. 15, 1825; d. Paris, Oct. 9, 1887. He studied with Sechter at the Vienna Cons., then traveled as a pianist in Europe. He went to N.Y. in 1848 as a teacher, and from 1856 he was active mainly as an impresario. He was the brother-in-law of Adelina Patti, and managed her concerts; he, his wife, and Ole Bull toured the U.S. (1852–54). Returning to N.Y, he, his brother Max Strakosch (b. Gross-Seelowitz, Sept. 27, 1835; d. N.Y, March 17, 1892), and Bull organized a brief opera season at the Academy of Music in 1855. He then ran his own company (1856–57), which merged with Bernard Ullman’s company in 1857; their partnership lasted until 1860, when he again became Patti’s manager. In 1861 he went to Europe with the Path’s, and remained Patti’s manager until 1868; also continued to work with his brother, who remained in the U.S. Maurice remained active as a pianist, making tours of Europe and the U.S. with Bull. He also composed, producing the opera Giovanna di Napoli. He wrote Souvenirs d’un impresario (Paris, second ed., 1887) and Ten Commandments of Music for the Perfection of the Voice (1896).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire