Person details

Jan Nepomuk Maýr

Maýr, Jan Nepomuk (1818-1888). Czech tenor singer, conductor and composer.  After a wide-ranging musical education that included training as an organist with R. Führer, other studies with Vitásek in Prague and Ignaz Assmayer in Vienna, his first career was as a singer. During the late 1840s he turned instead to conducting, directing the Prague Žofín Academy (from 1849) and productions at the Estates Theatre (from 1851). He assembled the company of the Czech Provisional Theatre and was its director from 1862 until 1866 and then again from 1874 until 1881. From the early 1860s he was almost constantly at odds with Smetana over opera production in the Czech theatre. In addition to his activities in the theatre he was at various times the director of music in several Prague churches including in 1854 the Church of the Lady of the Snows [Kostel Panny Marie Sněžné] and from 1865 at the church of St Francis on Křížovnické náměstí. He composed a substantial body of church music, songs and choruses, as well as piano music and an opera, Horymír. He attempted twice to establish music schools for teaching singing, the second of which, founded in the autumn of 1854 was successful. In this he taught as a speciality (according to Lumír 5/9/1854) both sacred and dramatic (theatre) singing. Pupils, the periodical noted, were to apply at Řeznická ulice no.1334.

Events in which this person was a composer:

Events in which this person participated as a director of ensemble

Events in which this person participated as a director of institute

Events in which this person participated as a soloist