Stump the German

[Anita]

I searched for the composer who wrote the opera "The Merry Wives of Windsor. Surprise! It's German composer Otto Nicolai. Lincoln's secretary is related to Otto.

Lincoln's secretary is related to Otto. "Born John George Nicolay (or Johann Georg Nicolai), Essingen, near Landau, Bavaria, the youngest of five children born to John Jacob Nicolay (1788-1846) and Helena Müller Nicolay (d. ca. 1839). According to John G. Nicolay's daughter Helen, the family changed the spelling of its surname from "Nicolai" to "Nicolay" after moving to the United States. https://www.loc.gov/collections/john-g-n.../timeline/

The House of Nicolay in Germany

There were many notable members of the German branch of the House of Nicolay, including:
Philipp Nicolai – Lutheran pastor, poet, and composer
John George Nicolay (born Johann Georg Nicolai) – Private Secretary to United States President Abraham Lincoln.[16]
Otto Nicolai – conductor, composer and founder of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolay_family

[Rob Wick]

The opera's composer was Otto Nicolai, so I am assuming it has something to do with John Nicolay.

Looks like Anita and I posted at the same time.

Best
Rob

[Eva Elisabeth]

Kudos, well done, Anita and Rob!

You win this video of Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra playing the overture of "The Merry Wives of Windsor" at one of the famous New Year's Concerts:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SnFZsz3Ioj8

The next New Year's Concerts is soon to come, on Monday. It's broadcasted all over the world - be sure not to miss it, it's well worth watching! Go here for info:
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/from-vien...024/15200/

[Eva Elisabeth]

I hope Scott won't mind I am posting this until he has time to tend to his question still going on on another thread.

Who said this? (No Google, please!)
I am a Republican till I die. When we get to Heaven, we can try a Monarchy, perhaps.

[RJNorton]

Was the person ever a President of the USA?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Nope, Roger.

[RJNorton]

William H. Seward?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Another good guess, but not him either, Roger. I encourage to ask yes/no questions...

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Hint #1: Here comes another quote by the same person, dating from the same period and "occasion" in the person's life:

"The opera is good, the only ballet I ever saw that was not a bore. 'Faust' was superbly given a few
nights ago."

The hint comes with a second question about which to think might help to find out the person - where was "Faust" superbly given?

[AussieMick]

Was this person living during the same time period as Lincoln?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Yes, Mike! He was younger though and lived up to the 20th century.

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Hi t #2: What would have made him think about Monarchies?

[Rogerm]

Was it John Hay?

[Gene C]

Hi t #2: What would have made him think about Monarchies?

Several quotes from the Bible reference the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Christ, and his heavenly kingdom.

Hence the reference to " When we get to Heaven, we can try a Monarchy, perhaps."

[AussieMick]

I'll try John Nicolay ..... maybe you've gathered some research on him.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Very smart thinking, Gene and Mike, but Roger nailed it! When serving as a secretary of the U.S. legation at Vienna, Hay wrote the "republican statement" to his boss John Bigelow on April 27, 1868, and about the Viennese cultural life in his memoirs.

Roger, I think the NYC Ballet is as superbe as the Wiener Staatsopernballett, so you win this wonderful "Walpurgis Night" scene from "Faust" by George Balanchine's NYC Ballet:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q3mTBtTOZ8

Having lived in Vienna for over six years, I have tried to find out private "Hay sites". The only place I could trace back was an inn, the "Golden Lamb", located in Praterstraße 7. Today, it's replaced by an office building of an insurance company.
    .    

[Rogerm]

Vielen Dank, Eva!