Herbert, Victor 02/01/1859 - 05/26/1924

Victor August Herbert (* 1 February 1859 in Dublin; † 26 May 1924 in New York City) was an USAmerican composer, who mainly wrote operettas/musicals.

Herbert studied cello at the Conservatoy for Music in Stuttgart, Germany and played in the chapel of Johann Strauß in Vienna. In 1886 he came to New York with his wife Therese Förster who was hired as soprano singer at Metropolitan Opera. After a short time as an orchestra musician he worked as a conductor of brass bands and could create his own orchestra after some years.


As a composer he founded the US-American operetta, which was developed somewhat further by Sigmund Romberg. Babes in Toyland (1903) and Naughty Marietta (1910) belong to his most successful works. Naughty Marietta was filmed by W.S. Van Dyke. Babes in Toyland one year before is sweet revenge with the comedian duo Laurel and Hardy.

Along with that he wrote numerous contributions, e.g., for the Ziegfeld Follies. He belonged to the successful composers of the "Tin Pan Alley" era. Also his cello concerto in E minor is still played. In 1939 Paramount tried to film a part of his life entitled "The Great Victor Herbert".

At the beginning of the 20th century Herbert committed himself to the rights of the composers and created among others, with John Philip Sousa and Irving Berlin, the American Society Of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, whose vice president for a long time was Herbert himself.