March 18, 1882:
Gian Francesco Malipiero is born in Venice, Kingdom of Italy, the first of three children born to Luigi Malipiero, a pianist and conductor, and Countess Emma Balbi.
May 15, 1913:
The first set of Impressioni dal vero for orchestra by Gian Francesco Malipiero (31) is performed for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan.
May 29, 1913:
Le Sacre du Printemps, a ballet by Igor Stravinsky (30) to a scenario of Roerich, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris. The ballet and its music cause a riot in the theatre as proponents and opponents resort to fisticuffs to exchange opinions on the value of art. The dancers perform to music that they have to imagine, as few in the auditorium can hear it, except during certain lulls. The choreographer, Vaclav Nizhinsky, almost runs onto the stage from the wings but is physically restrained by the composer. Sergey Diaghilev, the impresario, flicks the lights several times in an effort to douse the demonstrations. Nothing works. Those participating in the discussions include Maurice Ravel (38) and Florent Schmitt (42). Camille Saint-Saëns (77) simply repeats “he’s mad, he’s mad” several times before walking out. In the audience is a young composer named Gian Francesco Malipiero (31) who was encouraged to attend by Alfredo Casella (29). “I awoke from a long and dangerous lethargy.” He decides to disown all his previous work and strike out anew. Daniel Chennevière (Dane Rudhyar) (18) calls it “a tremendous experience.”
January 24, 1914:
Canossa, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (31) to words of Benco, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Costanzi, Rome.
March 11, 1917:
The Fountains of Rome, a tone poem by Ottorino Respighi (37), is performed for the first time, at the Teatro Augusteo, Rome. Also premiered is the second set of Impressioni dal vero for orchestra of Gian Francesco Malipiero (34).
March 16, 1917:
The new Società Nazionale di Musica gives its first concert in the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome. The society is organized by Alfredo Casella (33) and includes Ottorino Respighi (37) and Gian Francesco Malipiero (34). It will soon change its name to Società Italiana di Musica Moderna.
January 27, 1918:
The first part of Pause del silenzio for orchestra by Gian Francesco Malipiero (35) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Augusteo, Rome. It is well received by the audience.
April 15, 1918:
I selvaggi, a puppet ballet by Gian Francesco Malipiero (36) to a story by Depero, is performed for the first time, in Teatro dei Piccoli, Rome.
October 11, 1919:
Ditirambo tragico for orchestra by Gian Francesco Malipiero (37) is performed for the first time, in London.
July 10, 1920:
Sette canzoni, seven “dramatic expressions” by Gian Francesco Malipiero (38) to his own words after several earlier Italian poets, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.
March 16, 1921:
String Quartet no.1 “Rispetti e strambotti” by Gian Francesco Malipiero (38) is performed for the first time, in Rome.
May 28, 1921:
Gian Francesco Malipiero’s (39) first wife, Maria Rosa, dies. The death keenly affects him, even though the two are estranged.
March 29, 1922:
San Francesco d’Assisi, a mistero by Gian Francesco Malipiero (40) to words of St. Francis and Jacopo da Todi, is performed for the first time, in a concert setting in Carnegie Hall, New York. See 22 September 1949.
April 27, 1922:
Gian Francesco Malipiero (40) marries his second wife, Anna Wright. It is possible that this marriage will never be consummated, but she will provide a steadying influence in his life despite his mistresses.
October 19, 1924:
La mascherata delle principesse prigionere, a dramma sinfonico by Gian Francesco Malipiero (42) to a story by Prunières, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels.
November 5, 1925:
Orfeo, ovvero L’ottava canzone, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (43) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Düsseldorf Stadtsoper.
March 24, 1926:
Tre commedie goldoniane, a triptych by Gian Francesco Malipiero (44) to his own words after Goldoni, is performed for the first time, in the Hessisches Landestheater, Darmstadt.
April 19, 1926:
Gian Francesco Malipiero (44) writes to Benito Mussolini lauding fascism and offering his services to bring music into line.
March 8, 1928:
Il finto Arlecchino, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (45) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Mainz Stadttheater.
March 21, 1928:
Filomela e l’infatuato, a dramma musicale by Gian Francesco Malipiero (46) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Deutsches Theater, Prague.
June 5, 1930:
Gian Francesco Malipiero (48) has his first audience with Benito Mussolini, in Rome. He brings scores of 47 of his compositions, four of his books, ten volumes of the Monteverdi (†286) edition he has been overseeing, and five of his arrangements of early music.
May 15, 1931:
Torneo notturno, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (49) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Nationaltheater, Munich.
September 6, 1932:
Pantea, a dramma sinfonico by Gian Francesco Malipiero (50) to his own story, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Goldoni, Venice. Also premiered is La favola d’Orfeo, a chamber opera by Alfredo Casella (49) to words of Pavolini after Poliziano.
December 15, 1932:
Two operas by Gian Francesco Malipiero (50) to his own words are performed for the first time, in the Coburg Landestheater: Le aquile di Aquileia and I corvi di San Marco.
December 28, 1932:
Gian Francesco Malipiero (50) has a personal audience with Benito Mussolini. He gets the impression Mussolini supports him in the current modernist-romantic controversy. See 17 December 1932.
March 31, 1933:
Acciaio, a film with music by Gian Francesco Malipiero (51), is released in Italy.
January 13, 1934:
La favola del figlio cambiato, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (51) to words of Pirandello, is performed for the first time, in the Brunswick Landestheater.
August 1, 1934:
Merlino, mastro d’organi, a dramma musicale by Gian Francesco Malipiero (52) to his own words, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Rome Radio. See 28 March 1972.
February 8, 1936:
Giulio Cesare, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (53) to his own words after Shakespeare, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa.
October 30, 1937:
Gian Francesco Malipiero (55) is awarded the Coolidge Medal by the Library of Congress, Washington.
November 6, 1937:
Il festino, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (55) to his own words after de Rossi, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Turin Radio. See 2 October 1954.
June 4, 1938:
Antonio e Cleopatra, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (56) to his own words after Shakespeare, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Comunale, Florence.
January 11, 1941:
Ecuba, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (58) to his own words after Euripedes, is performed for the first time, in Rome. It uses music from his incidental music to the play.
October 24, 1942:
I capricci di Callot, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (60) to his own words after Hoffmann, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Reale dell’Opera, Rome.
June 30, 1943:
La vita è sogno, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (61) to his own words after Calderón, is performed for the first time, in the Opernhaus, Breslau (Wroclaw).
June 21, 1946:
Vergilii Aeneis, a sinfonia eroica by Gian Francesco Malipiero (64) to his own words after Virgil (tr. Caro), is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of RAI. See 6 January 1958.
February 27, 1948:
Symphony no.4 “In Memoriam” by Gian Francesco Malipiero (65) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.
June 20, 1949:
Stradivario, a ballet by Gian Francesco Malipiero (67) to his own story, is performed for the first time, in a concert setting in Teatro Pergola, Florence. See 3 June 1958.
September 22, 1949:
San Francesco d’Assisi, a mistero by Gian Francesco Malipiero (67) to words of St. Francis and Jacopo da Todi, is staged for the first time, in Perugia. See 29 March 1922.
January 12, 1950:
Mondi celesti e infernali, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (67) to his own words after Shakespeare, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of RAI. See 2 February 1961.
May 4, 1950:
L’allegra brigata, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (68) to his own words after Sacchetti, is performed for the first time, in Teatro alla Scala, Milan.
December 16, 1951:
El mondo novo, a ballet by Gian Francesco Malipiero (69) to his own story after Tiepolo, is performed for the first time, in a concert setting in Teatro Argentina, Rome.
January 25, 1953:
Il figliuol prodigo, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (70) to his own words after Castellano Castellani, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of RAI. See 14 May 1957.
October 2, 1954:
Il festino, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (72) to his own words after de Rossi, is staged for the first time, in Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo. Also premiered is Malipiero’s Donna Urraca to his own words after Mérimée. See 6 November 1937.
May 14, 1957:
Il figliuol prodigo, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (75) to his own words after Castellano Castellani, is staged for the first time, in Teatro della Pergola, Florence. Also premiered is Malipiero’s Venere prigioniera to his own words after Gonzales. See 25 January 1953.
January 6, 1958:
Vergilii Aeneis, a sinfonia eroica by Gian Francesco Malipiero (75) to his own words after Virgil (tr. Caro), is staged for the first time, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice. See 21 June 1946.
June 3, 1958:
Stradivario, a ballet by Gian Francesco Malipiero (76) to his own story, is staged for the first time, in Dortmund. See 20 June 1949.
February 2, 1961:
Mondi celesti e infernali, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (78) to his own words after Shakespeare, is staged for the first time, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice. See 12 January 1950.
April 20, 1962:
Rappresentazione e festa di Carnasciale e della Quaresima, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (80) to his own words after a 16th century Florentine text, is performed for the first time, in a concert setting, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice. See 20 January 1970.
March 16, 1963:
Il capitan Spavento, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (80) to his own words after Ruzante and de Fatouville, is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Carlo, Naples.
September 21, 1963:
Don Giovanni, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (81) to his own words after Pushkin, is performed for the first time, in the Auditorium della RAI, Naples.
October 4, 1963:
Sogno d’un tramonto d’autunno, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (81) to words of D’Annunzio, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of RAI, 50 years after it was composed. See 4 October 1988.
March 6, 1964:
Anna Wright, the second wife of Gian Francesco Malipiero (81) dies after 30 months of a degenerative illness which included arterial sclerosis, insanity, and paralysis.
September 4, 1966:
Le metamorfosi di Bonaventura, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (84) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice.
February 7, 1969:
Gli eroi di Bonaventura, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (86) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Piccola Scala, Milan. It is a collection of music from his earlier operas.
October 22, 1969:
Il marescalco, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (87) to his own words after Aretino, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Comunale, Treviso.
January 20, 1970:
Rappresentazione e festa di Carnasciale e della Quaresima, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (87) to his own words after a 16th century Florentine text, is staged for the first time, in Teatro La Fenice, Venice. Also premiered is Malipiero’s Don Tartufo Bacchettone to his own words after Molière and Gigli. See 20 April 1962.
August 28, 1971:
Two operas by Gian Francesco Malipiero (89) to his own words are performed for the first time, in Teatro dei Rinnuovati, Siena: Uno dei dieci and L’Iscariota.
March 28, 1972:
Merlino, mastro d’organi, a dramma musicale by Gian Francesco Malipiero (90) to his own words, is staged for the first time, in Palermo, 45 years after it was composed. See 1 August 1934.
August 1, 1973:
Gian Francesco Malipiero dies in Treviso City Hospital, Republic of Italy, of a heart ailment, aged 91 years, four months, and 14 days.
October 4, 1988:
Sogno d’un tramonto d’autunno, an opera by Gian Francesco Malipiero (†15) to words of D’Annunzio, is staged for the first time, in Mantua, 75 years after it was composed. See 4 October 1963.