September 17, 1711:
Ignaz Jakob Holzbauer is born in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria in the Holy Roman Empire, the son of a leather merchant.
June 15, 1753:
Il Figlio delle selve, a favola pastorale by Ignaz Holzbauer (41) to words of Capece, is performed for the first time, at Schwetzingen. It is staged to celebrate the birthday of Princess Maria Franziska of Pfalz-Sulzbach. Its success will secure for him the position of Kapellmeister in Mannheim.
July 11, 1753:
By decree of Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg, Ignaz Holzbauer (41) is released from his service.
July 26, 1753:
Count Carl Theodor decrees that Ignaz Holzbauer (41) is henceforth his Kapellmeister in Mannheim.
January 16, 1754:
Chacun à son tour, a pantomime by Ignaz Holzbauer (42) to a story of d’Inzeo, is performed for the first time, in the Mannheim Hoftheater.
June 16, 1754:
L’isola disabitata, an azione comica per musica by Ignaz Holzbauer (42) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at Schwetzingen.
November 4, 1754:
L’Issipile, a dramma per musica by Ignaz Holzbauer (43) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at the Mannheim Hoftheater.
December 16, 1754:
L’allégresse du jour, a pantomime by Ignaz Holzbauer (43), is performed for the first time, in the Mannheim Komödiensaal.
June 16, 1755:
Don Chisciotte, an opera serio-ridicola by Ignaz Holzbauer (43) to words after Cervantes, is performed for the first time, in Schwetzingen.
August 29, 1756:
Le nozze d’Arianna, a festa teatrale by Ignaz Holzbauer (44) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at Schwetzingen.
November 4, 1757:
La clemenza di Tito, a dramma per musica by Ignaz Holzbauer (46) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at the Mannheim Hoftheater.
November 5, 1759:
Ippolito ed Aricia, a dramma per musica by Ignaz Holzbauer (48) to words of Frugoni, is performed for the first time, at the Mannheim Hoftheater.
July 1, 1762:
Jean-Joseph Cassanea de Mondonville (50) ends his seven-year tenure as director and conductor of the Concerts spirituels in Paris. During this time he programmed the music of Gossec (28), foreigners like Holzbauer (50) and Wagenseil (47), as well as his own music.
November 5, 1768:
Adriano in Siria, a dramma per musica by Ignaz Holzbauer (57) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in the Mannheim Hoftheater.
January 5, 1777:
Günther von Schwarzburg, a singspiel by Ignaz Holzbauer (65) to words of Klein, is performed for the first time, in the Mannheim Hoftheater. It is the first performance in this new building outside the palace.
November 4, 1777:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (21) writes from Mannheim to his father, “Deputy-Kapellmeister Vogler (26), who had composed the mass which was performed the other day, is a dreary musical jester, an exceedingly conceited and rather incompetent fellow. The whole orchestra dislikes him. But today, Sunday, I heard a mass by Holzbauer (66), which he wrote twenty-six years ago, but which is very fine. He is a good composer, he has a good church style, he knows how to write for voices and instruments, and he composes good fugues.” (Anderson, 356)
November 14, 1777:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (21) writes to his father after seeing Ignaz Holzbauer’s (66) Günther von Schwarzburg in Mannheim that “Holzbauer’s music is very beautiful. The poetry doesn’t deserve such music. What surprises me most of all is that a man as old as Holzbauer should still possess so much spirit; for you can’t imagine what fire there is in that music.” (Anderson, 374)
July 6, 1779:
La morte di Didone, a dramma per musica by Ignaz Holzbauer (67) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, in the National Theater, Mannheim.
April 7, 1783:
Ignaz Holzbauer dies in Mannheim, aged 71 years, six months, and 21 days.