Flechtenmacher, Alexandru (EN)

Flechtenmacher Alexandru, *23 December 1823 Iași, †28 January 1898 Bucharest, Romanian composer, violinist, and conductor. From 1837 to 1840 he studied in Vienna under J. Böhm and J. Mayseder (violin), and later, from 1847 to 1848, in Paris. He was conductor of the orchestras of the National Theatre in Iași (1844–47), in Craiova (1853–58), where he founded the Societatea Filarmonica, and in Bucharest (1852–53 and again 1858–79), where from 1864 to 1895 he was a professor and from 1864 to 1869 director of the conservatory.

Flechtenmacher was among the more sought-after composers of theatre music in Romania. He went down in history as the creator of the first Romanian operetta (Baba-Hîrca). His chamber works and solo songs (some inspired by Romanian folklore) represent the salon music tradition.