Carl Maria von Weber

Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a seminal composer and critic of the early Romantic period, renowned for his operas and significant influence on the development of German Romantic opera. He was born approximately on 18 November 1786 in Eutin, and despite a challenging upbringing with frequent relocations, he studied with numerous notable teachers and composed extensively, although some of his early operas do not survive. His mature operas, such as Der Freischütz and Oberon, had a profound impact on German composers and his clarinet compositions are still celebrated today. Weber died on 5 June 1826 in London at the age of 39.