Born on October 14, 1871, in Vienna, to a Jewish community secretary, the conductor and composer had already achieved international renown by the 1920s. From 1927 to 1931, he served as first music director of the Kroll Opera, while also conducting numerous guest performances at European opera houses.
In the spring of 1933, after the Nazis’ rise to power, Zemlinsky emigrated to Vienna, where he worked as music director of the Vienna Concert Orchestra and devoted himself again to his compositions. However, Germany’s annexation of Austria in March of 1938 forced him to flee once more. He left the country together with his wife, abandoning much of their property, and reached the United States in December of 1938 via Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, and France.
Weakened by the hardships of persecution and flight, Zemlinsky attempted to continue his career as a composer in New York. Despite some popular compositions, the success he had hoped for never materialized. After a nervous breakdown and a series of strokes, Alexander von Zemlinsky died on March 15, 1942, in Larchmont, New York.
1871 Vienna
1942 Larchmont