Henry Krips was born in
Vienna in 1912 as Heinrich Josef Krips; his brother was the conductor
Josef Krips. His father was a Jewish-born convert to Catholicism, and his mother was from a Catholic family. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory, and made his début in 1932 at the Burgtheater there. After the 1938
Anschluss, as his brother Josef left Vienna for
Belgrade, Heinrich Krips emigrated to Australia. He formed the Krips-de Vries Opera Company there, and also served as musical director for the
Kirsova Ballet in Sydney in 1941. He was naturalised in 1944 and changed his first name to Henry. His other compositions include opera, ballets, numerous songs and instrumental pieces, including music for the ABC
animated cartoon,
Waltzing Matilda. In 1970 he was appointed a Member of the
Order of the British Empire (MBE). In 1972 he moved to London, where he had appeared as a guest conductor with the
Sadler's Wells Opera from 1967, and conducted occasional concerts. His performances of Johann Strauss and
Franz Lehár were particularly admired. Henry Krips died in
Adelaide in 1987. His grandson,
Henry Wagons, is an Australian singer/songwriter, musician, radio and TV personality and frontman of the popular outlaw country rock band
Wagons. ==Works==