Mischa Spoliansky
26th July 2007
Mischa Spolianksy was born into a musical family on 28 December 1898 in Bialystok, Russia. Spoliansky began his musical studies at the age of six in Dresden and completed them at the Sternasche Conservatorium in Berlin. After his studies he was soon to become involved in theatrical and cabaret life and among others, worked with the director Max Reinhardt and the actress Marlene Dietrich.
Spoliansky wrote many songs with his life long friend and lyricist Marcellus Schiffer. He also worked with Walter Mehring, Kurt Tucholski and Joachim Ringelnatz. Among his well known cabaret songs are: L’Heure Bleue; Ich Bin Ein Vamp!; Alles Schwindel and Das Lila Lied. Originally recorded by Marlene Dietrich, some songs have recently been released by Ute Lemper.
In 1933, Spoliansky moved to England where he was commissioned to write many film scores including: The Private Life of Don Juan; Sanders of the River; King Solomon’s Mines; The Happiest Days of Your Life; Saint Joan and Trouble in Store.
In 1999 Spoliansky’s ‘cabaret opera’ Send for Mr Plim was revived at Battersea Arts Centre in 1999 and there was also a production of it at the Covent Garden Festival in 2000. Among his other works is the unperformed opera Himmel Mayer
and the show Victoria based on Somerset Maugham’s Home and Beauty
In 2008 a CD of film music by Spoliansky, arranged and edited by Philip Lane, will be released on the Chandos label