Oscar Hammerstein I Oscar Hammerstein I Oscar Hammerstein I (8 May 18461 August 1919) was a German-born businessman, theater impresario, and composer in New York City. His passion for opera led him to open several opera houses, and he rekindled opera's popularity in America. He was the grandfather of American lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II and the father of theater manager William Hammerstein and American producer Arthur Hammerstein. Oscar Hammerstein I was born in Stettin (capital of the province of Pomerania), Kingdom of Prussia (now Szczecin, Poland), to German Jewish parents Abraham and Berthe Hammerstein. He took up the flute, piano, and violin at
Oscar Hammerstein II Sound of Music", as well as the musical film "State Fair" (and its stage adaptation of the same name), and the television musical "Cinderella", all featured in the revue "A Grand Night for Singing". Hammerstein also wrote the book and lyrics for "Carmen Jones", an adaptation of Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen" with an all-black cast that became a 1943 Broadway musical and a 1954 film. An active advocate for writers's rights within the theatre industry, Hammerstein was a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. In 1956, he was elected as the eleventh president of the non-profit organization. He continued