Theo Mackeben was music through and through: born in Stargard in 1897, he was already excelling at the piano at the age of thirteen. After studying in Cologne and Warsaw, he toured as a pianist as far afield as the Dutch East Indies – but Berlin became his stage. Here he created a lively atmosphere at the Café Größenwahn and, as conductor at the Volksbühne and Kapellmeister at the Staatliches Schauspielhaus, showed how thrilling theatre music can sound. In 1928, he conducted the world premiere of ‘The Threepenny Opera’ and created a mega-hit with the operetta ‘Die Dubarry’ in 1931. He composed over 50 film scores, including evergreens such as Komm auf die Schaukel, Luise and Nur nicht aus Liebe weinen. After the war, Mackeben worked as musical director at the Metropol Theatre in Berlin before his death in 1953 – a life full of music, passion and Berlin temperament. Only the grand opera stage remained elusive to him.
– Guido Krawinkel