Rudolf Friml, born Rudolf Antonín Frymel, was a Czech-born American composer known for operettas, musicals, songs, and piano music. He studied piano and composition at the Prague Conservatory beginning in 1895, where he was influenced by Antonín Dvořák. After his studies, Friml worked as an accompanist for violinist Jan Kubelík and toured with him in the United States before settling there permanently in 1906. His first major theatrical success came with The Firefly (1912), produced on Broadway by Arthur Hammerstein. In his later career, Friml shifted toward concert performance and composing piano and art music, continuing to work into old age. He died in Los Angeles on November 12, 1972.
