Raimund, Ferdinand

Ferdinand Raimund, Austrian actor and dramatist, 1790-1836

Ferdinand Raimund, born Ferdinand Jakob Raimann, was an Austrian actor and dramatist. In 1811, he acted at the Theater in der Josefstadt, and in 1817 at the Leopoldstädter Theater. In 1823 he produced his first play, "Der Barometermacher auf der Zauberinsel", which was followed by "Der Diamant des Geisterkönigs" (1824). The still popular "Bauer als Millionär" (1826), "Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind" (1828) and "Der Verschwender" (1834), incidental music by Conradin Kreutzer, are Raimund's masterpieces. Raimund was a master of the Viennese "Posse" or farce; his rich humour is seen to best advantage in his realistic portraits of his fellow citizens.