Irish by birth, Victor Herbert was trained as a musician in Germany, appearing there as a cellist and as a soloist in his own compositions. He settled in America in 1886, establishing a reputation as a conductor and eventually as a composer and promoter of light music.

Stage Works

Herbert’s operettas won considerable popularity in America. They include Babes in Toyland, described as a musical extravaganza, first staged on Broadway in 1903. He provided scores for the Ziegfeld Follies and for a number of silent films.

Orchestral and Vocal Music

Herbert’s orchestral music includes compositions for cello and orchestra, with works of particularly American terms of reference, such as his suite Columbus. Memories of Ireland are heard in his Irish Rhapsody and in some of his songs.