When a melody came to him, Imre Kalman could not keep it waiting. His daughter Yvonne Kalman says that during a walk in New York, he would suddenly interrupt the conversation and say: “Because I have a melody in my head and I have to go home to play it and hear how it sounds.“ This impatience for music is behind some of the most popular operettas of the 20th century.
Kalman was born on October 24, 1882, in Siófok, on Lake Balaton. He studied composition in Budapest with Hans Kösler, in the same class as Béla Bartók and Zoltan Kodály. Initially, he dreamed of a career as a pianist, but a hand disease directed him towards composition. After his first attempts at symphonic music, he chose the theater and created about 20 operettas.
From „Autumn Maneuvers“ to Viennese fame
His first great success was „Autumn Maneuvers“, staged in Budapest in 1908. After a good reception, the work reached Vienna, where Kalman gradually established himself as one of the leading authors of the so-called Silver Age of Viennese operetta.
In 1912, „The Gypsy Primate“ brought him international recognition. The Viennese critic Richard Specht defined his music as „fresh and pleasant, full of power“ in its natural melodiousness. The operetta shows Kalman's characteristic interest in the clash between tradition and modern life, and the music combines Hungarian motifs with the elegance of the Viennese stage.
„Silva“ and „Countess Maritza“
His greatest popularity came with „The Queen of the Csárdás“, also known as „Silva“. Staged in Vienna in 1915, the operetta transforms the Csárdás and Hungarian melodica into a dramatic engine of the love story between the singer Silva Varescu and Prince Edwin. In it, Kalman combines glamorous ensembles, dance rhythms and melodies that remain recognizable far off stage.
This was followed by „La Bayadere“ from 1921 and „Countess Maritza“ from 1924. The second became one of the emblems of the genre with the contrast between the aristocratic environment, the romantic intrigue and the lively, almost folk energy of the music. “The Circus Princess“ from 1926 expanded this world with a spectacular stage atmosphere and virtuoso vocal parts.
Kalmann and modern rhythms
The composer did not remain confined to the nostalgic model of the old Viennese operetta. In “The Duchess of Chicago“ from 1928, he used jazz influences and syncopated rhythms to confront European tradition with American modernity. His later works show the same desire to follow the changing taste of the audience without giving up his melodic style.
In 1938, Kalmann left Europe because of Nazi politics. He lived in the United States, and after the war he returned to Europe and settled in Paris. He died there on October 30, 1953. The year 1954, with which he is sometimes associated, refers to the posthumous premiere of "The Arizona Lady", completed by his son Charles. Thus, his last work continues the composer's story after the end of his life.
Sources: latimes.com, nybooks.com, deutschlandfunk.de