Walter Kollo


Walter Kollo was a German composer of operettas, Possen mit Gesang, and Singspiele as well as popular songs. He was also a conductor and a music publisher.

Life and career

Kollo was born in Neidenburg, East Prussia on 28 January 1878. His best known work, the operetta , was the basis of a 1917 Sigmund Romberg operetta in America entitled Maytime.
A merchant's son, he was expected to take his father's trade but devoted himself to the study of music in the Königsberg Sondershausen music conservatory with his mother's help. He became a theater conductor for a brief time in Königsberg before going to Berlin in 1899. In Berlin, he turned towards popular and light music, fromin8, wrote music for the popular musical theater. In 1910, with Willy Bredschneider he composed his first great success, Große Rosinen, produced on New Year's Eve 191,1. Somewhat prolifically, he continued composing musical comedies, farces and operettas, with including Wie einst im Mai, Der Juxbaron, Drei alte Schachteln and Die Frau ohne Kuß.
Kollo emerged as a composer of revues and sound films in 1915, was one of the founders of the performer's rights organization GEMA, and had his own music publishing company. Later, he made successful concert tours as a conductor of his own works.
With Jean Gilbert and Paul Lincke, Kollo was a founder of the Berliner Operette.
His son Willi Kollo was also a composer of light music and his grandson is the Wagnerian tenor René Kollo.
Walter Kollo died in Berlin on 30 September 1940.

List of operettas

  • 1911 – Sein Herzensjunge
  • 1911 – Große Rosinen
  • 1912 – Filmzauber
  • 1912 – So wird’s gemacht
  • 1913 –
  • 1913 – Der Juxbaron
  • 1914 – Immer feste druff
  • 1915 – Wenn zwei Hochzeit machen
  • 1916 – Der selige Balduin
  • 1916 – Auf Flügeln des Gesanges
  • 1917 – Drei alte Schachteln
  • 1917 – Die tolle Komteß
  • 1918 – Blitzblaues Blut
  • 1918 – Sterne, die wieder leuchten
  • 1919 – Fräulein Puck
  • 1920 – Der verjüngte Adolar
  • 1921 – Die Königin der Nacht
  • 1922 – Lady Chic
  • 1923 – Marietta
  • 1924 – Die tanzende Prinzessin
  • 1924 – Die vertagte Nacht
  • 1924 – Die vertauschte Frau
  • 1924 – Die Frau ohne Kuß
  • 1925 – Olly-Polly
  • 1926 – Nur Du
  • 1927 – Drei arme kleine Mädels
  • 1928 – Jettchen Gebert
  • 1930 – Der doppelte Bräutigam
  • 1930 – Majestät läßt bitten
  • 1931 – Frauen haben das gern
  • 1933 – Die Männer sind mal so
  • 1933 – Lieber reich aber glücklich
  • 1934 – Derfflinger
  • 1935 – Heirat nicht ausgeschlossen
  • 1935 – Ein Kaiser ist verliebt
  • 1935 – Berlin, wie es weint, Berlin, wie es lacht
  • 1935 – Pour plaire aux femmes
  • 1936 – Mädel ahoi
  • 1938 – Das Schiff der schönen Frauen
  • 1943 – ''Wie einst im Mai''

    Recordings

Kollo's grandson René Kollo has recorded a CD of songs and arias by Walter Kollo entitled 'Auf den Spuren meiner Väter: René Kollo sings Kollo', 2009, CD EMI).