October 3, 1758:
Christoph Willibald Gluck’s (44) opéra comique L’île de Merlin, ou Le monde renversé to words of Anseaume after Le Sage and d’Orneval, is performed for the first time, at the Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna for the nameday of Emperor Franz (which is actually tomorrow).
October 3, 1759:
Christoph Willibald Gluck’s (45) opéra comique L’arbre enchanté, ou Le tuteur dupé to words after Vadé is performed for the first time, in the Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna for the name day of Emperor Franz (tomorrow). See 27 February 1775.
May 28, 1808:
An announcement appears in the Wiener Zeitung for two vacancies for boy choristers in the Imperial and Royal Court Chapel. It is read by an interested Viennese couple named Karl and Elisabeth Schubert who have a son named Franz (11).
June 28, 1815:
Robert Knauth (Franz) is born at Brunoswarte 13 in Halle, Kingdom of Prussia, the son of Christoph Franz Knauth, a salt-wagon loading foreman. The family name will be changed in 1847.
May 8, 1822:
The Liszt family departs Raiding to move to Vienna where Franz (10) may pursue serious musical study. They are being funded by several Hungarian noblemen from Pressburg (Bratislava).
August 4, 1823:
Adam Liszt writes to Prince Metternich requesting a passport and introductions to the Austrian ambassadors in Paris, Munich and London, where he plans to take his prodigious son, Franz (11).
August 28, 1850:
On the 100th anniversary of the birth of Goethe, Lohengrin, a romantische Oper by Richard Wagner (37) to his own words, is performed for the first time, at the Weimar Hoftheater directed by Franz Liszt (38). The theatre is full of artistic luminaries including Robert Franz (35), Joseph Joachim, and Hans von Bülow. The composer is not present as he is a wanted man in Germany.
March 21, 1860:
Joseph Joachim writes to Robert Franz (44) asking him to join in a protest against the “New German School”, particularly Richard Wagner (46) and Franz Liszt (48). Franz will decline.
October 24, 1892:
Robert Franz dies in his home at Luisenstraße 8 in Halle, German Empire, aged 77 years, three months, and 26 days. His mortal remains will be laid to rest in the Stadtgottesacker, Halle.
November 1, 1892:
An obituary for Robert Franz written by Eduard Hanslick appears in the Neue Freie Presse. "With the death of Robert Franz, the last of the glorious circle has now departed which in youthful enthusiasm rallied around the banner of Romanticism unfurled by Mendelssohn and Schumann...Only Clara Schumann remains as the Madonna of the Davidsbündler-and God grant her a long life! The last fading lights are now extinguishing from Leipzig's golden age. Robert Franz was one of the most appreciated and talented of this circle." (Haas, 48)
January 23, 1946:
Franz (75) and Sophie Lehár arrive in Zürich, both seeking medical treatment for serious conditions.