Max Maretzek

Max Maretzek (June 28, 1821 – May 14, 1897) was a Moravian-born composer, conductor, and impresario active in the United States and Latin America.

Born in Brno, now in the Czech Republic, he graduated from Vienna University and studied medicine for two years, at the same time taking a course in music and composition under Seyfried. He had breathed a musical atmosphere from his youth, and finally decided to devote himself wholly to its pursuit. The Emperor of Austria became interested in him, as did von Bülow, Wagner, Liszt, Offenbach and Strauss. In 1843 his first opera, Hamlet, was produced at Brunn. He played the violin in orchestras in both Germany and England. He then travelled through Germany, France, and England, as an orchestral conductor, and in 1844 settled in London as assistant to Michael William Balfe at Her Majesty's Theatre.

Coming to the United States in 1848, he became musical director at Edward P. Fry's Astor Opera House. In 1849 he began his career as an impresario at the same house with an opera company of his own, the Max Maretzek Italian Opera Company (sometimes referred to later as the Academy of Music Opera), which included most of Fry's artists. Between 1848 and 1850, he produced L'Elisir d'Amore, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, I Puritani, Belisario, Ernani, Otello, Maria di Rohan, Don Pasquale, and Der Freischütz.

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