author
W. Friedrich
d. 1879
Best known as the librettist behind popular 19th-century operas such as Martha and Alessandro Stradella, this German writer worked under the pen name Wilhelm Friedrich and helped shape the musical stage of his time.
1 Audiobook
Haapaniemen hanhenpoika: Huvi-näytelmä yhdessä näytöksessä
by W. Friedrich, Jean-François-Alfred Bayard, Gustave Lemoine
About the author
Born in Berlin in 1807, Friedrich Wilhelm Riese was a German writer, dramatist, and librettist. He is often connected with the name Wilhelm Friedrich, a pen name formed from his given names, which is likely why some editions list him simply as W. Friedrich.
Riese is especially remembered for writing librettos for composer Friedrich von Flotow. Among the best known are Alessandro Stradella and Martha, works that gave him a lasting place in 19th-century opera history.
He died in Naples on November 15, 1879. While not as widely known today as the composers he collaborated with, his writing played an important part in bringing these operas to life on stage.