Franz Lehár was an influential Austro-Hungarian composer, renowned for his significant contributions to the world of operetta. Born on April 30, 1870, in Komárom, Kingdom of Hungary (now Komárno, Slovakia), Lehár was the son of an Austrian military bandmaster and a Hungarian mother of German descent. He grew up speaking Hungarian and later pursued musical studies at the Prague Conservatory, focusing on violin under the tutelage of Antonín Bennewitz and receiving advice from Antonín Dvořák to concentrate on composition.

Lehár's early career involved serving as a bandmaster in the Austro-Hungarian Army and later in the navy, where he became the youngest bandmaster at the time. His first opera, "Kukuschka," premiered in 1896, marking the beginning of his composing career. He gained widespread fame with his operetta "The Merry Widow" (Die lustige Witwe) in 1905, which became a landmark in Viennese operetta history with its innovative orchestral score and achieved immense international success.

Throughout his career, Lehár composed numerous operettas, waltzes, and other musical works, collaborating with notable figures such as the German tenor Richard Tauber. His operettas, including "The Count of Luxembourg" and "The Land of Smiles," showcased his melodic talent and diverse influences, from Viennese to Hungarian and beyond.

Lehár's legacy is marked by his role as a master of late Viennese operetta, and his works continue to be celebrated for their melodic richness and orchestration. He spent his later years in Austria and Switzerland, passing away on October 24, 1948, in Bad Ischl, Austria.