BRECHER, GUSTAV

BRECHER, GUSTAV (1879–1940), conductor, composer, and writer. Born in Eichwald, Bohemia, Brecher conducted at various operatic theaters and became music director of the Leipzig Opera (1924–33), where he presented the world premieres of Ernst Krenek's Jonny spielt auf (1927) and kurt weill 's Mahagonny (1930). Among his compositions was the symphonic poem Rosmersholm, first presented by Richard Strauss (1896). His writings were mostly concerned with operatic problems and include Ueber Operntexte und Opernuebersetzungen (1911). In 1940 he and his wife committed suicide on a ship intercepted by the Nazis off the Belgian coast.