A CHRONOLOGICAL VIEW OF WESTERN MUSIC HISTORY IN THE CONTEXT OF WORLD EVENTS

Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf

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November 2, 1739: Carl Ditters is born in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria of the Holy Roman Empire, the son of Paul Ditters, costumier at the Imperial court and theatre, and Anna Vandelin.
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March 24, 1763: Christoph Willibald Gluck (48) and Carl Ditters (23) depart Vienna for Bologna to produce Gluck’s Il trionfo di Clelia.
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May 14, 1763: Il trionfo di Clelia, a dramma per musica by Christoph Willibald Gluck (48) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, to open the new Teatro Comunale, Bologna. According to Carl Ditters (23), “it pleased immensely, notwithstanding that it was not by a long way performed as the composer had imagined it.” The work will ultimately fail.
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June 6, 1763: Christoph Willibald Gluck (48) and Carl Ditters (23) return to Vienna from Bologna where they produced Gluck’s Il trionfo di Clelia. Ditters immediately asks Count Durazzo for four weeks dispensation from playing a concerto in public. He has written several in Italy and wants to rehearse them.
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April 1, 1765: Carl Ditters (25) becomes Kapellmeister to Adam Patachich, Bishop of Grosswardein (Oradea, Romania), succeeding Michael Haydn (27).
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November 1, 1769: Carl Ditters (29) begins six months service to Count Schafgotsch, Prince-Bishop of Breslau.
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January 1, 1770: As a surprise, Count Schafgotsch, Prince-Bishop of Breslau, presents the Cross of the Order of the Golden Spur to his employee, Carl Ditters (30). The Count used his influence in Rome to get Ditters named a Knight of the Golden Spur.
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May 1, 1771: Il viaggiatore americano in Joanesberg, a farce by Carl Ditters (31) to words of Pinto, is performed for the first time, in the Turm-Theater, Johannisberg, near Jauernig (Javorník).
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March 3, 1772: Carl Ditters (32) marries Nicolina Trink, a Hungarian soprano, in Johannisberg, near Jauernig (Javorník) in Austrian Silesia.
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May 1, 1773: Il tutore e la pupilla, a dramma giocoso by Carl Ditters (33) to words of Goldoni, is performed for the first time, in the Turm-Theater, Johannisberg, near Jauernig (Javorník).
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June 5, 1773: Empress Maria Theresia grants to Carl Ditters (33) a certificate of nobility and the name “von Dittersdorf.”
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November 4, 1773: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (34) is appointed Amtshauptmann of Freiwaldau (Jeseník).
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December 19, 1773: L’Esther ossia La liberatrice del popolo giudaico nella Persia, an oratorio by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (34) to words of Pintus, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.
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May 1, 1775: Il maniscalco, an operetta giocoso by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (35) to words after Quétant, is performed for the first time, in the Turm-Theater, Johannisberg, near Jauernig (Javorník).
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February 20, 1776: La Contadina fedele, an opera by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (36), is performed for the first time, in the Turm-Theater, Johannisberg, near Jauernig (Javorník).
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May 1, 1776: La Moda, o sia Gli scompigli domestici, a dramma giocoso by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (36) to words of Cipretti, is performed for the first time, in the Turm-Theater, Johannisberg, near Jauernig (Javorník).
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August 17, 1781: In a letter to the Viennese publisher Artaria, Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (41) outlines his plan for a set of symphonies based on Ovid’s Metamorphoses.
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April 8, 1786: Giobbe, an oratorio by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (46) to words of Pintus, is performed for the first time, in Vienna, to benefit the Tonkünstler-Societät.
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May 13, 1786: The first of two concerts featuring the premiere of Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf’s (46) Twelve Symphonies on Ovid’s Metamorphoses takes place in Vienna.
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May 20, 1786: The second of two concerts featuring the premiere of Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf’s (46) Twelve Symphonies on Ovid’s Metamorphoses takes place in Vienna.
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July 11, 1786: Der Apotheker und der Doktor, a singspiel by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (46) to words of Stephanie, is performed for the first time, at the National Theater, Vienna. It is very successful, much more so than Le nozze di Figaro which premiered two months ago.
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October 3, 1786: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf’s (46) singspiel Der Betrug durch Aberglauben oder die Schatzgräber to words of Eberl is performed for the first time, at the Kärntnertortheater, Vienna.
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November 24, 1786: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (47) petitions King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia for a post. He will not be successful.
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January 24, 1787: Democrito coretto, an opera giocosa by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (47) to words of Brunati after Regnard, is performed for the first time, in the Burgtheater, Vienna.
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April 12, 1787: Die Liebe im Narrenhause, a komische Oper by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (47) to words of Stephanie, is performed for the first time, in the Kärntnertortheater, Vienna.
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July 17, 1788: An official document dated today dismisses Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (48) as Amtshauptmann of Freiwaldau (Jeseník), but other sources say he will continue to serve until 1795.
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July 7, 1789: Hieronymus Knicker, a singspiel by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (49) possibly to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Leopoldstadttheater, Vienna.
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April 7, 1794: Due to court intrigues against him, Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (54) is given one week to leave the Johannisberg Palace by his employer, Prince-Bishop Schaffgotsch.
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August 16, 1794: Das Gespenst mit der Trommel, a singspiel by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (54) to his own words after Goldoni, is performed for the first time, at the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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February 4, 1795: Don Quixote der Zweyte, a singspiel by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (55) to his own words after Cervantes, is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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May 30, 1795: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf’s (55) singspiel Gott Mars und der Hauptmann von Bärenzahn to his own words is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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September 15, 1795: Der Schach von Schiras, a singspiel by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (55) to his own words after Kotzebue, is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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October 29, 1795: Die Befreyten Gwelfen, an opera by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (55), is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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June 11, 1796: Ugolino, a serious singspiel by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (56) to the words of the composer and Duke Friedrich August von Braunschweig-Oels after Dante, is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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June 25, 1796: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf’s (56) singspiel Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor to words of Römer and the composer after Shakespeare is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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October 29, 1796: Die schöne Herbsttag, a dialogue by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (56) to words after Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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February 11, 1797: Der Ternengewinnst oder Der gedemütigte Stolz, a singspiel by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (57) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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April 18, 1797: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf’s (57) singspiel Der Mädchenmarkt, to words of Herklots after Saintfoix, is performed for the first time, in the Herzogliches Hoftheater, Oels (Olesnica).
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October 22, 1799: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (59) completes dictating his autobiography to his son.
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October 24, 1799: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf dies at Cervená Lhota, a small castle owned by Ignaz Freiherr von Stillfried in Neuhof (Novy Dvur) near Sobeslav, Kingdom of Bohemia, in poverty, aged 59 years, eleven months, and 22 days. His earthly remains will be buried in the village of Deschen (Destná) near Neuhaus (Jindrichuv Hradec).