July 10, 1895:
Carl Heinrich Maria Orff is born at Maillinger Straße 30 in Munich, German Empire, the son of Heinrich Orff, an army officer with strong musical interests, and Paula Koestler, a pianist of prodigious abilities, the daughter of a general.
April 16, 1925:
Klage der Ariadne by Carl Orff (29), to his own translation of Rinuccini, is performed for the first time, in Mannheim. See 30 November 1940.
April 17, 1925:
Orpheus by Carl Orff (29), to a translation of Striggio by Günther, is performed for the first time, in Mannheim. See 13 October 1929 and 4 October 1940.
December 28, 1925:
Tanz der Spröden by Carl Orff (30), to a translation of Rinuccini by Günther, is performed for the first time, in Karlsruhe. See 30 November 1940.
December 11, 1928:
Kleines Konzert for winds, harpsichord, and percussion by Carl Orff (33) is performed for the first time, in the Herkulessaal, Munich.
October 13, 1929:
A revised version of Orpheus by Carl Orff (34) to a translation of Striggio by Günther, is performed for the first time, in Munich. See 17 April 1925 and 13 October 1929.
June 7, 1930:
Entrada for orchestra and organ by Carl Orff (34) after William Byrd (†306) is performed for the first time, in Königsberg.
October 11, 1930:
Veni creator spiritus and Der gute Mensch, two cantatas by Carl Orff (35) to words of Werfel, are performed for the first time, in Munich.
June 8, 1937:
Carmina Burana for soprano, tenor, baritone, boys’ chorus, chorus, and orchestra by Carl Orff (41) to anonymous medieval words, is performed for the first time, in the Städtische Bühnen, Frankfurt-am-Main.
February 5, 1939:
Carl Orff’s (43) theatrical microcosm Der Mond to his own words after the Brothers Grimm is performed for the first time, in the Nationaltheater, Munich.
October 4, 1940:
A second revision of Orpheus by Carl Orff (45) to a translation of Striggio by Günther is performed for the first time, in Dresden. See 17 April 1925 and 13 October 1929.
November 30, 1940:
A revised version of Klage der Ariadne by Carl Orff (45) to his own translation of Rinuccini, is performed for the first time, in Gera. See 16 April 1925. Also premiered is a revised version of Orff’s Tanz der Spröden to a translation of Rinuccini by Günther.
February 20, 1943:
Die Kluge by Carl Orff (47) to his own words after the Brothers Grimm is performed for the first time, in the Städtische Bühnen, Frankfurt-am-Main.
November 6, 1943:
Carl Orff’s (48) scenic cantata Catulli Carmina to words of the composer after Catullus, is performed for the first time, in the Städtische Bühnen, Leipzig.
January 7, 1946:
Newell Jenkins, theatre and music control officer for the US military government in Munich, writes to Carl Orff (50) telling him that he would be very valuable if he could prove that he engaged in anti-fascist activities over the last twelve years.
June 15, 1947:
Die Bernauerin, an opera by Carl Orff (51) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Württembergisches Staatstheater, Stuttgart. The work is dedicated to Kurt Huber, an ethnomusicologist executed by the Nazis.
August 9, 1949:
Carl Orff’s (54) musical play Antigonae to words of Hölderlin after Sophocles is performed for the first time, in the Felsenreitschule, Salzburg.
October 30, 1952:
Carl Orff’s (57) musical play Ein Sommernachtstraum is performed for the first time, in Darmstadt. See 12 March 1964.
February 13, 1953:
Trionfo di Afrodite, a scenic concerto by Carl Orff (57) to words of Catullus, Sappho, and Euripedes, is performed for the first time, at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, as part of the first performance of the complete Trionfi, made up of Carmina Burana, Catulli Carmina, and Trionfo di Afrodite.
October 20, 1953:
Carl Orff’s (58) bairische Komödie Astutuli, to his own words, is performed for the first time, in the Munich Kammerspiele.
March 31, 1956:
Comoedia de Christi Resurrectione by Carl Orff (60) to his own words, is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Munich Radio. See 21 April 1957.
August 3, 1956:
Die Sänger der Vorwelt for chorus and orchestra by Carl Orff (61) to words of Schiller, is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.
December 4, 1956:
Nänie und Dithyrambe for chorus and orchestra by Carl Orff (61) to words of Schiller, is performed for the first time, in Bremen.
April 21, 1957:
Comoedia de Christi resurrectione by Carl Orff (61) to words of the composer, is staged for the first time, in the Württembergisches Staatstheater, Stuttgart. See 31 March 1956.
July 21, 1957:
Two choral works by Carl Orff (62) are performed for the first time, in Solingen: Laudes creaturarum for mixed chorus and Sunt lacrimae rerum for male chorus.
December 11, 1959:
Oedipus der Tyrann, a funeral play by Carl Orff (64) to words of Sophocles (tr. Hölderlin), is performed for the first time, in the Württembergisches Staatstheater, Stuttgart.
December 11, 1960:
Ludus de nato infante mirificus, a Christmas play by Carl Orff (65) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.
March 12, 1964:
The final version of Ein Sommernachtstraum by Carl Orff (68) to words of Shakespeare (tr. Schlegel), is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.
March 24, 1968:
Prometheus desmotes, an opera by Carl Orff (72) to his own words after Aeschylus, is performed for the first time, in Stuttgart.
August 20, 1973:
De temporum fine comeodia, a Bühnenspiel by Carl Orff (78) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Salzburg. See 15 May 1994.
March 29, 1982:
Carl Heinrich Maria Orff dies of cancer in a clinic in Munich, Federal Republic of Germany, aged 86 years, eight months, and 19 days.
April 3, 1982:
The mortal remains of Carl Orff are laid to rest in the Schmerzhafte Kapelle of the monastery church in Andechs.
November 22, 1987:
Dithyrambi for chorus and instruments by Carl Orff (†5) to words of Schiller is performed for the first time, in Munich.
July 5, 1989:
Quartettsatz for string quartet by Carl Orff (†7) is performed for the first time, in Altötting, approximately 75 years after it was composed.
July 10, 1991:
The Carl Orff (†9) Museum opens in Rinkhof, Diessen on the 96th anniversary of the composer’s birth.
May 15, 1994:
The final version of De temporum fine, a Bühnenspiel-comoedia by Carl Orff (†12) to his own words, is performed for the first time, in Ulm. See 20 August 1973.
December 6, 1995:
Des Turmes Auferstehung for two male choruses and orchestra by Carl Orff (†13) to words of Werfel, is performed for the first time, in Munich 74 years after it was composed. Also premiered is Orff’s Tanzende Faune op.21.
January 30, 2010:
Gisei, das Opfer, a music drama by Carl Orff (†27) to Japanese words (tr. Florenz), is performed for the first time, in the Staatstheater, Darmstadt, 97 years after it was composed.