September 4, 1790:
Euphrosine, ou Le tyran corrigé, a comédie mise en musique by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (27) to words of Hoffman, is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Favart, Paris.
February 15, 1791:
Cora, an opéra by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (27) to words of Valadier after Marmontel, is performed for the first time, at the Académie Royale de Musique (Paris Opéra).
March 5, 1792:
One day before the premiere of Adrien, empereur du Rome, an opéra by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (28) to words of Hoffman, is cancelled by the Commune de Paris (city council). The censorship is due to the current anti-Austrian sentiment. The opera shows the ancient Roman emperor in a favorable light and the parallel to the Holy Roman Emperor is too close.
March 12, 1792:
For a second time, the Commune de Paris (city council) forbids tomorrow’s scheduled performance of Adrien, empereur du Rome, an opéra by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (28) to words of Hoffman. They cite fears of anti-imperial rioting.
May 3, 1792:
Stratonice, a comédie-héroïque by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (28) to words of Hoffman after Lucian and Corneille, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Favart, Paris. It turns out to be very popular.
March 5, 1793:
Le jugement de Paris, a ballet with music by Christoph Willibald Gluck (†5), Joseph Haydn (60), Ignaz Pleyel (35), Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (29), and Rodolphe Kreutzer (26) to a scenario by Gardel, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.
March 28, 1793:
Le jeune sage et le vieux fou, a comédie mêlée de musique by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (29) to words of Hoffman, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris. It is not an immediate success but it will remain in the repertoire.
November 21, 1793:
Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (30) joins the staff of the Institut National de Musique.
November 30, 1793:
Étienne-Nicolas Méhul’s (30) first republican work, Hymne à la raison for solo voices and orchestra, is performed for the first time, in Paris as the Church of Saint-Quentin is transformed into the Temple of Reason.
February 18, 1794:
Horatius Coclès, an opéra by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (30) to words of Arnault, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra. Based on republicanism and patriotism, it is reasonably successful.
February 26, 1794:
Le congrès des rois, a pasticcio with music by Luigi Cherubini (33), André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (53), Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (30) and nine others to words of Desmaillots (pseud. of Eve), is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Favart, Paris. It will be banned after two performances.
May 6, 1794:
Étienne-Nicolas Méhul’s (30) drame lyrique Mélidore et Phrosine to words of Arnault after Bernard, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Favart, Paris.
July 4, 1794:
Le chant du départ for chorus and wind band by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (31) to words of Chénier is performed for the first time, in Paris.
September 11, 1794:
Incidental music to Chénier’s play Timoléon by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (31) is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre de la République, Paris.
March 12, 1795:
Doria, ou La tyrannie détruite, an opéra héroïque by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (31) to words of Legouvé and d’Avrigny, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Favart, Paris.
August 3, 1795:
The Paris Conservatoire is founded by the National Convention through the joining of the Institut national de musique and the École nationale de chant et de déclamation. Five inspectors of instruction are appointed: François-Joseph Gossec (61), André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (54), Luigi Cherubini (34), Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (32), and Jean-François Le Sueur.
December 5, 1795:
Étienne-Nicolas Méhul’s (32) comédie mise en musique La caverne to words of Forgeot is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Favart, Paris. Originally successful, after a year it will disappear.
May 1, 1797:
La jeunesse de Henri IV, a drame lyrique by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (33) to words of Bouilly, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Favart, Paris. It will later be called Le jeune Henri. The work was composed in 1791 but was never produced owing to the increasingly anti-monarchical mood of the country that year.
December 15, 1797:
Étienne-Nicolas Méhul’s (34) fait historique La prise du pont de Lody to words of Delrieu is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It will later be called Le pont de Lody.
June 4, 1799:
Adrien, an opéra by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (35) to words of Hoffman after Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra. The work has been changed since the early 1790s to appeal to republican sentiments. It is a great success.
October 11, 1799:
Étienne-Nicolas Méhul’s (36) drame mêlé de musique Ina to words of Hoffman after Ariosto, is performed for the first time, in Théâtre Favart, Paris. It will later be called Ariodant. It will be performed 70 times during the composer’s life.
March 14, 1800:
Epicure, an opéra composed by Luigi Cherubini (39) and Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (36) to words of Demoustier, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Favart, Paris. The hostility of the audience is heard even before the final curtain. The poetry is found faulty, the music praised.
June 14, 1800:
La dansomanie, a ballet-pantomime by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (36) to a scenario by Gardel, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.
July 4, 1800:
Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (37) lends Ignace Pleyel (43) the sum of 10,000 francs to expand his business.
November 24, 1800:
A marriage contract is signed by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (37) and Marie-Madeleine-Joséphine Gastaldy, the daughter of a physician.
December 27, 1800:
Étienne-Nicolas Méhul’s (37) comédie mêlée de musique Bion to words of Hoffman after de Lantier, is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Favart, Paris.
February 17, 1801:
L’irato, ou l’emporté, a comédie-parade by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (37) to words of Marsollier des Vivetières, is performed for the first time, at the Opéra-Comique, Paris. It is extremely popular and will receive over 100 performances during the composer’s life.
April 5, 1802:
Une folie, a comédie mêlée de chants by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (38) to words of Bouilly, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It is a great success and will be performed more than 200 times during the composer’s life.
July 29, 1802:
Étienne-Nicolas Méhul’s (39) opéra comique Le trésor supposé, ou Le danger d’écouter aux portes to words of Hoffman is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It is a moderate success.
November 23, 1802:
Joanna, an opéra by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (39) to words of Marsollier des Vivetières, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It is not well received and will be performed only eight times.
March 1, 1803:
Héléna, an opéra by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (39) to words of Bouilly, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It is fairly successful.
June 18, 1803:
Le baiser et la quittance, ou Une aventure de garrison, an opéra-comique by Adrien Boieldieu (27), Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (39), Rodolphe Kreutzer and Nicolò Isouard, to words of Picard, Dieulafoy and Longchamps after Polier de Bottens, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It will fail in Paris but do better elsewhere.
December 29, 1803:
L’heureux malgré lui, an opéra-bouffon by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (40) to words of Saint-Just, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. This is the one and only performance.
February 4, 1804:
Incidental music to Duval’s play Guillaume le conquérant by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (40) is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Français, Paris.
June 14, 1804:
Incidental music to Duval’s play Les Hussites, ou Le siège de Naumbourg by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (40) is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin, Paris.
January 28, 1806:
Les deux aveugles de Tolède, an opéra comique by Étienne Nicolas Méhul (42) to words of Marsollier des Vivetières after The Thousand and One Nights, is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It receives 20 performances in Paris but is more successful elsewhere.
June 25, 1806:
Gabrielle d’Estrées, ou Les amours d’Henri IV, an opéra by Étienne Nicolas Méhul (43) to words of Saint-Just, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It is popular, perhaps because of the similarity of Henri IV to Napoléon, but will be suspended after six performances. The reason is unknown, although Saint-Just suspects government interference.
February 17, 1807:
Joseph, a drame mêlé de chants by Étienne Nicolas Méhul (43) to words of Duval after the Bible, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It will be performed 50 times during the composer’s life, and revived for the next 100 years.
April 2, 1810:
Emperor Napoléon marries Archduchess Marie Louise, daughter of the Emperor Franz I of Austria, in a religious ceremony at the Louvre. At night, Cantate pour le mariage de l’Empereur by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (46) to words of Arnault is performed for the first time, at the Tuileries Palace in the presence of the honorees.
June 8, 1810:
Persée et Andromède, a ballet-pantomime with music by Franz Joseph Haydn (†1), Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (46) and others, to a scenario by Gardel, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra.
June 10, 1810:
Du trône ou jusqua’à Toi, a cantata by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (46) to words of Arnault, is performed for the first time, in Paris to celebrate the marriage of Emperor Napoléon to Marie-Louise of Austria.
December 17, 1811:
Amphion, an opéra by Étienne-Nicholas Méhul (48) to words of de Jouy, is performed for the first time, in the Paris Opéra. It will later be called Les Amazones, ou La fondation de Thèbes . The response is disappointing, largely due to the libretto.
May 24, 1813:
Le prince troubadour, ou Le grand trompeur de dames, an opéra comique by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (49) to words of Duval, is performed for the first time, at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris.
February 1, 1814:
L’oriflamme de Charles Martell, an opéra comique by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (50), Henri Montan Berton, Rodolphe Kreutzer, and Ferdinando Paer to words of Étienne and Baour-Lormian, is performed for the first time, at the Paris Opéra. It will later be called L’oriflamme. It is produced as part of a government effort to rally support for the Emperor and nation as the Allies invade France.
November 16, 1816:
La journée aux aventures, an opéra comique by Étienne-Nicholas Méhul (53) to words of Chapelle and Mézières-Miot, is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris.
November 28, 1822:
Valentine de Milan, a drame lyrique by Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (†5) to words of Bouilly and completed by Daussoigne-Méhul, is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris.
October 26, 1871:
Minister for Education Jules Simon addresses the Académie Française, “We have not only material ruins to deplore, but spiritual ruins as well…We have replaced glory with money, work with speculation, loyalty and honor with skepticism, the battles of parties and doctrines with the competition of interests, the school with clubs, Méhul (†54) and Lesueur with chansonnettes.”