Composer and pianist, born in Eutin, Germany. Nurtured by his family for music, he began to compose, and became conductor of the opera at Wroclaw, Poland (formerly Breslau, Germany) (1804)). In 1813 he settled in Prague as opera Kapellmeister, and about 1816 was invited by the King of Saxony to direct the German opera at Dresden. He is known as the founder of German Romantic opera, notably in Der Freischütz (1821, The Freeshooter), Euryanthe (1823), and Oberon (1826), and he also wrote several orchestral works, as well as piano, chamber, and church music, and many songs.