Flotow, Friedrich von (frēˈdrĭkh fən flōˈtō) [key], 1812–83, German operatic composer. Flotow's operas show the influence of French opéra comique, which set the tone for light opera in the 19th cent. Many of his 29 operas were translated into English, French, or Italian for performances throughout Europe. The most successful were Alessandro Stradella (1844) and Martha (1847), which incorporates the Irish tune "The Last Rose of Summer."
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