The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-21
4 TABLET TO LoRzz1H9
Put Up I'm the Town I'm which As q Child He
Acted and Starved.

Put Up I'm the Town I'm Which NJ q Child He
Acted and Starved.
Albert LortzinG. the composer. whose operas
are still highly popular in Germany. has re-
Gently been honored by q memorial tablet
placed on the house which he occupied in Co
burg in 1913. He was a child then. and 1t was
only during the preparations for the placing Of
the stone that Lortzing's life in Coburg became
familiar to the German people. Lortzing was
born in Berlin on the 18th of October. 1901.
and was Is years old when the manager
Of the theatre in Coburg engaged him to play
boys parts In his company. He played the
youthful roles along with his friend DuerinRer.
who. after he had gained a reputation in other
cities. returned to Coburg and lived there until
his death in the town where the very first steps
OF his profession were taken. Lortzing lived In
these early years through all the misery
OF the itinerant theatrical company to
which his parents belonged at the begin
ming of the century. They had become
stagestruck TO an extent which made the
theatre irresistible to them. They were first
amateurs. and then the father. Lortzing. gave
up his leather business, and the trio became
professional actors. the husband deyotinR him
self TO the role Of the sentimental lover. while
tho wife appeared In soubrette roles. Their
fate was a hard one. The life OF the family in
Coburg was one OF great hardship and need.
There were many times when the table was
spread only through the generosity OF friends
who knew OF the necessities of the three. Yet
the father had given up a prosperous leather
business TO become an actor.
All through. LortzinR's life. In. spite OF the
success that his operas have won In later years;
he was followed by the same poverty that had
made his childhood's days in Coburg such a sad
memory. When he was dying there was not
the money to send for the doctor. who might
have helped to prolonR his life a few hours.
Now his operas are frequently played in most
Of the German theatres. and II he had received
royalties from them there seems TO be nc rea-
son why he should not have been at least COM
Portable. Later in life his association with
Ooburg was renewed for a short time. but In a
manner scarcely more pleasant than his earlier
secure the place OF director In the orchestra at
the Court. Theatre. in which years before he
had acted as q child, But the attempt
failed, Just as many before IT. had. The
city has made an attempt. however. TO
do VIVA It can toward honorinR his
memory by putting up the tablet on the house
IN which as a child he lived and nearly starved.
His later career as a tenor. an actor. and finally
conductor has been all but forgotten In his
achievements as q composer, and IL 10 through
them that his name lives to-day With credit.
s sSiH me- Z" tndiins. csST and 6srpeb Stse"@
aud Der Wafer Schied" are among the best
specimens OF German opera eomlaue. aud re-
Gently the opera house in Berlin. whore they
With great success. "CndIne," revived there
last winter In spectacular fashion. was one 81
the operas that headed the list in the number
Of performances, although he died In the same
Berlin IN great poverty.