February 21, 1836:
Clément Philibert Léo Delibes is born in St. Germain du Val (today part of La Flèche), Sarthe, Kingdom of France, the only child of Philibert Delibes, a postal worker and Clémence Delibes, the daughter of an opera singer.
February 9, 1856:
Deux sous de charbon, ou Le suicide de bigorneau, an asphyxie lyrique by Léo Delibes (19) to words of Moineaux, is performed for the first time, at the Folies-Nouvelles, Paris.
August 8, 1856:
Deux vieilles gardes, an opérette bouffe by Léo Delibes (20) to words of Villeneuve and Lemonnier, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.
November 12, 1856:
Six demoiselles à marier, an opérette bouffe by Léo Delibes (20) to words of Jaime and Choler, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.
October 3, 1857:
Maître Griffard, an opéra comique by Léo Delibes (21) to words of Mestépès, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris.
June 5, 1859:
La nuit de Noël, for four male voices by Léo Delibes (23) to words of Gille, is performed for the first time, in Lisieux, France.
June 8, 1859:
L’omelette à la Follembuche, an opérette bouffe by Léo Delibes (23) to words of Labiche and Michel, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.
February 4, 1860:
Monsieur de Bonne-Etoile, an opéra comique by Léo Delibes (23) to words of Gille, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.
January 25, 1861:
Les musiciens de l’orchestre, an opérette bouffe by Léo Delibes (24), Jules Erlanger, and Aristide Hignard, to words of Bourdois, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.
May 1, 1863:
Le jardinier et son seigneur, an opéra comique by Léo Delibes (27) to words of Carré and Barrière, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris.
January 5, 1864:
New works are performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris: La tradition, a prologue en vers by Léo Delibes (27) to words of Derville, and L’amour chanteur, an operetta by Jacques Offenbach (44) to words of Nuitter and L’Epine.
December 16, 1864:
Le serpent à plumes, a farce by Léo Delibes (28) to words of Gille and Cham, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.
April 25, 1865:
Le boeuf Apis, an opéra bouffe by Léo Delibes (29) to words of Gille and Furpille, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.
August 16, 1865:
Alger, a cantata by Léo Delibes (29) to words of Méry, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.
November 12, 1866:
La source, ou Naila, a ballet by Léo Delibes (30) and L. Minkus to a story of Nuitter and Saint-Léon, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.
November 12, 1867:
Valse, ou Pas de fleurs, a divertissement by Léo Delibes (31), is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.
January 16, 1869:
L’écossais de Chatou, an opérette by Léo Delibes (32) to words of Gilles and Jaime, is performed for the first time, at the Bouffes-Parisiens, Paris.
April 24, 1869:
La cour du roi Pétaud, an opéra bouffe by Léo Delibes (33) to words of Gille and Jaime, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre des Variétés, Paris.
May 2, 1870:
Coppélia, ou La fille aux yeux d’émail, a ballet by Léo Delibes (34) to a story by Nuitter after Hoffmanm, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.
May 24, 1873:
Le roi l’a dit, an opéra comique by Léo Delibes (37) to words of Gondinet, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.
March 3, 1875:
Carmen, an opéra comique by Georges Bizet (36) to words of Meilhac and Halévy after Mérimée, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris. Present are Ambroise Thomas (63), Charles Gounod (56), Léo Delibes (39), Jacques Offenbach (55), Jules Massenet (32) and Vincent d’Indy (23). The work is not a success but will produce a good reception on the second night. Reviews are mixed. Carmen will enjoy 48 performances but the hall will never be filled.
June 14, 1876:
Sylvia, ou La nymphe de Diane, a ballet by Léo Delibes (40) to a story by Barbier and Mérante, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.
July 25, 1878:
La mort d’Orphée, a lyric scene for tenor, chorus, and orchestra by Léo Delibes (42), is performed for the first time, in the Trocadéro, Paris.
March 8, 1880:
Jean de Nivelle, an opéra by Léo Delibes (44) to words of Gondinet and Gille, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra Comique, Paris.
October 30, 1880:
Belle Lurette, an opéra-comique by Jacques Offenbach (†0) to words of Blum, Blau, and Toché, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre de la Renaissance, Paris. The work was completed by Léo Delibes (44).
November 22, 1882:
Le roi s’amuse, six airs de danse dans le style ancien by Léo Delibes (46), is performed for the first time, at the Comédie-Française.
April 14, 1883:
Lakmé, an opéra by Léo Delibes (47) to words of Gondinet and Gille after Lotti, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.
August 11, 1883:
During the visit of about 40 leading French artists and scientists to Budapest, Jules Massenet (41) conducts his Scènes pittoresques and portions of Hérodiade. As he arrives at the podium for the latter, he finds instead a copy of Coppélia and has to conduct Hérodiade from memory. Later, when Léo Delibes (47) conducts Coppélia, he finds a copy of Hérodiade.
November 10, 1890:
After a memorial service in the Church of Sainte-Clotilde, the earthly remains of César Franck are laid to rest in the Cimitière de Montparnasse, Paris. The oration is made by Emanuel Chabrier (49). Édouard Lalo (67), Camille Saint-Saëns (55), Léo Delibes (54), Gabriel Fauré (45), and Charles-Marie Widor are also present but many other prominent musicians do not attend.
January 16, 1891:
Clément Philibert Léo Delibes dies in Paris, Republic of France, aged 54 years, ten months, and 26 days. His mortal remains will be laid to rest in the Cemetery of Montmartre.