Mottl, Felix (1856-1911)

Mottl, Felix

CONDUCTOR, COMPOSER (AUSTRIA)

BORN 24 Aug 1856, Wien: Unter Sankt Veit - DIED 2 Jul 1911, München, Bayern
CAUSE OF DEATH heart attack
GRAVE LOCATION München, Bayern: Waldfriedhof (045-W-5)

Felix Mottl studied with Anton Bruckner. He assisted Richard Wagner at the first Festspiele in Bayreuth in 1876, where he directed Wagner's "Ring des Nibelungen". His best known opera "Agnes Bernauer" was first performed in 1880 in Weimar.

From 1881 until 1903 he was conductor at the Court of Karlsruhe. In 1886 he directed "Tristan und Isolde" at Bayreuth. He often directed in Bayreuth and was a teacher to Wagner's son Siegfried. In 1893 he married the opera singer Henriette Standhartner, but it wasn't a happy marriage.

From 1898 until 1900 he staged Wagner's operas in Covent Garden, London. In 1904 he became the director of the Wiener Philharmoniker and in 1907 of the Hofoper.

He had an affair with opera singer Zdenka Faßbender and in 1910 he divorced Henriette, who had made huge debts behind his back. During his 100th performance of "Tristan und Isolde", with Zdenka as Isolde, he broke down. Shortly before his death he married Zdenka in hospital. He was a founder of the Mozartfestspiele in Munich.

His first wife was buried in his grave at the Waldfriedhof in Munich, but Zdenka rests in Tutzing, Bavaria.

Family
• Wife: Faßbender, Zdenka (1911-1911)

Related persons
• was teacher of Abendroth, Hermann
• was teacher of Barilli, Bruno
• cooperated with Wagner, Richard
• was teacher of Wagner, Siegfried

Events

25/7/1886

First Performance of Richard Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" at the Bayreuther Festspiele. It was staged by Cosima Wagner and conducted by Felix Mottl. Heinrich Gudehus was Tristan and RosaScuher was Isolde. Other performers were Gisela Staudigl, Karl Scheidemantel and Gustav Siehr. The stage set was designed by Max Brückner and the costumes were designed by Joseph Flüggen. [Flüggen, Joseph][Gudehus, Heinrich][Scheidemantel, Karl][Wagner, Cosima][Wagner, Richard]