1773
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1 January 1773 Wrapt in stole of sable grain, an ode by William Boyce (61) to words of Whitehead, is performed for the first time.
7 January 1773 Ferdinando Spinola replaces Giovanni Battista Cambiaso as Doge of Genoa.
9 January 1773 La sposa collerica, an intermezzo by Niccolò Piccinni (44), is performed for the first time, in Teatro Valle, Rome.
11 January 1773 Le bon fils, an opéra-comique by François-André Danican-Philidor (46) to words of Devaux (pseud. of Abbé Lemonnier), is performed for the first time, at the Comédie-Italienne, Paris. It is originally performed as Antoine Masson but the title will be changed in the printed libretto.
12 January 1773 At the annual meeting of the Charleston, South Carolina Library Society, North America’s first public museum is organized.
16 January 1773 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is produced in German for the first time, at the Kärntnertortheater, Vienna.
17 January 1773 Exsultate, jubilate K.165, a solo motet by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (16), is performed for the first time, in the Church of the Theatines, Milan. It was composed for Venanzio Rauzzini, primo uomo in the Milan opera.
The expedition led by James Cook crosses the Antarctic Circle at 39° E longitude, the first Europeans to do so.
18 January 1773 After reaching a farthest south of 66° and experiencing solid pack ice, the Cook expedition turns north.
The Swedish Royal Opera gives its inaugural performance, in Stockholm.
19 January 1773 Il Cid, an opera seria by Antonio Sacchini (42) to words of Bottarelli after Corneille, is performed for the first time, in King’s Theatre, London.
26 January 1773 Alessandro Piero Francesco Grimaldi replaces Ferdinando Spinola as Doge of Genoa.
30 January 1773 Sismano nel Mogol, a dramma per musica by Giovanni Paisiello (32) to words of De Gamerra, is performed for the first time, in the Regio Ducal, Milan. Among the audience are Leopold (52) and Wolfgang Amadeus (17) Mozart.
3 February 1773 A letter from Christoph Willibald Gluck (58) appears in the Mercure de France. The composer explains and defends his new ideas about setting the French language in opera as opposed to traditional Italian opera. It only serves to fuel an already raging debate between advocates of the two approaches.
4 February 1773 Niccolò Piccinni (45) returns to Naples from Rome.
6 February 1773 The Golden Pippin, a pasticcio comic opera with five songs by Thomas Augustine Arne (62) to words of O’Hara, is performed for the first time, in Covent Garden, London.
12 February 1773 Christian Heinrich replaces Ludwig Ferdinand as Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
Danish biologist Otto Friedrich Müller publishes his Vermium Terrestrium. He is the first to classify microorganisms.
13 February 1773 La casa di campagna, a dramma giocoso by Florian Leopold Gassmann (43) to words possibly by Giovanni Gastone Boccherini, is performed for the first time, in the Burgtheater, Vienna.
20 February 1773 Carlo Emanuele III, King of Sardinia, dies in Turin and is succeeded by his son Vittorio Amadeo III.
23 February 1773 Alzuma, a play by Murphy after Dryden and Voltaire, with music by Thomas Augustine Arne (62), is performed for the first time, at Covent Garden, London.
26 February 1773 At a performance of the oratorio Judith by Thomas Augustine Arne (62) at Covent Garden, women are used in a London choir for the first time.
4 March 1773 Leopold (52) and Wolfgang Amadeus (17) Mozart depart Milan for Salzburg.
Le magnifique, a comédie mise en musique by André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (32) to words of Sedaine after LaFontaine, is performed for the first time, at the Comédie-Italienne, Paris.
13 March 1773 Leopold (53) and Wolfgang Amadeus (17) Mozart return to Salzburg from Italy.
15 March 1773 Karl Theodor, Elector Palatine, provides Georg Joseph Vogler (23) with the financial means to pursue musical studies in Italy.
She Stoops to Conquer; or, The Mistakes of a Night by Oliver Goldsmith is first performed, in London.
24 March 1773 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (17) dates his Divertimento K.166 in Salzburg.
25 March 1773 The Cook expedition reaches New Zealand where they will winter.
30 March 1773 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (17) completes his Symphony no.26 K.184.
5 April 1773 Die Jubelhochzeit, a comsiche Oper by Johann Adam Hiller (44) to words of Weisse, is performed for the first time, in the Behrenstrassetheater, Berlin.
10 April 1773 Gelobet sey der Herr, gross von Rath for chorus and strings by Johannes Herbst (37) is performed for the first time.
13 April 1773 Mohammed Bey Abudh Dhahab comes to power in Egypt and recognizes Ottoman authority.
21 April 1773 Joseph-Jérôme Lefrançais de Lalande gives a summary of his paper on comets to the Paris Academy of Sciences. He states that a collision of a comet with the Earth is possible but extremely unlikely. Word spreads that he gave a summary because he wished to suppress the news that a comet would hit the Earth on 20 May and thus cause a panic. Panic ensues.
1 May 1773 Il tutore e la pupilla, a dramma giocoso by Carl Ditters (33) to words of Goldoni, is performed for the first time, in the Turm-Theater, Johannisberg, near Jauernig (Javorník).
6 May 1773 Tamerlano, an opera seria by Antonio Sacchini (42) to words of Bottarelli after Piovene, is performed for the first time, in King’s Theatre, London.
7 May 1773 Joseph-Jérôme Lefrançais de Lalande publishes an explanation in the Gazette de France that predicting a collision between a comet and the Earth is not possible.
8 May 1773 Former Sultan of Egypt Ali Bey al-Kabir dies of wounds suffered last week trying to regain power in Cairo.
10 May 1773 The British Parliament passes the Tea Act. The East India Company is allowed to import tea into America without paying a duty, but the colonists are required to pay a tax on the tea they consume.
17 May 1773 Sventatura, in van mi lagno, an aria by Johann Christian Bach (37) to anonymous words, is performed for the first time, in Hickford’s Rooms, Brewer Street, London.
19 May 1773 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (17) dates his Symphony no.23 K.181 in Salzburg.
28 May 1773 The first through-composed serious German opera, Alceste by Anton Schweitzer to words of Wieland, is performed for the first time, in Weimar.
1 June 1773 Voltaire’s satirical letter on the comet scare of a month ago is published in the Journal Encyclopédique.
4 June 1773 Born for millions are the kings, an ode by William Boyce (61) to words of Whitehead, is performed for the first time, to honor the birthday of King George III.
5 June 1773 Empress Maria Theresia grants to Carl Ditters (33) a certificate of nobility and the name “von Dittersdorf.”
8 June 1773 La locandiera, a dramma giocoso by Antonio Salieri (22) to words of Poggi after Goldoni, is performed for the first time, in the Kärntnertortheater, Vienna.
21 June 1773 The Regulating Act is given royal assent by King George III. Intended to regulate the British East India Company, it is the first attempt by the British Crown to constitute a government over India.
1 July 1773 Areas of Holstein under rule by the Gottorp line are given to the Segeberg line in return for Oldenburg. Paul von Holstein-Gottorp (Crown Prince Pavel of Russia) replaces Christian XII (King Christian IX of Denmark) as Count of Oldenburg.
The Hector departs Loch Broom, near Ullapool, with the first group of Scottish emigrants for Nova Scotia.
12 July 1773 Johann Joachim Quantz dies in Potsdam, aged 76 years, five months and twelve days.
14 July 1773 The most recent Cossack revolt is officially ended with relatively lenient punishments handed out in Yaitsk (Oral) by the Imperial Russian government.
Johann Christian Bach (37) appears with singer Cecilia Grassi in a concert tour stop in Blandford.
Leopold (53) and Wolfgang Amadeus (17) Mozart leave Salzburg for Vienna.
17 July 1773 Leopold (53) and Wolfgang Amadeus (17) Mozart have dinner with Dr. Anton Mesmer in Vienna.
21 July 1773 Pressured by the Bourbon dynasties, Pope Clement XIV issues the breve Dominus ac Redemptor, completely suppressing the Jesuit order.
26 July 1773 L’infedeltà delusa, a burletta per musica by Joseph Haydn (41) to words of Coltellini, is performed for the first time, at Esterháza Palace, for the name day of Dowager Princess Maria Anna.
29 July 1773 On the Feast of Santa Marta, an earthquake rocks the Spanish colonial capital of Antigua Guatemala. About 1,200 people are killed by effects of the earthquake and subsequent disease and malnutrition and the city is destroyed. The devastation is so bad that Spanish authorities decide to move the capital to Guatemala de Asunción (Guatemala City).
5 August 1773 Leopold (53) and Wolfgang Amadeus (17) Mozart are received by Empress Maria Theresia.
7 August 1773 Antoine Lavoisier submits his Opuscules physiques et chymiques to the French Academy for review. They are impressed.
11 August 1773 Izzet Mehmed Pasha replaces Muhsinzade Mehmed Pasha as Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire.
18 August 1773 Samuel Johnson and James Boswell begin a 17-week journey to the Hebrides.
24 August 1773 A Great Recoinage begins in Britain to remove defective gold coin from circulation.
25 August 1773 The Esterházy chapel organist, Franz Novotni, dies. As no suitable replacement can be found, Kapellmeister Joseph Haydn (41) will be hired, sharing the duties with schoolmaster Joseph Dietzl.
1 September 1773 Empress Maria Theresia and her entourage arrive for a visit to Esterháza Palace, amidst much pomp. Joseph Haydn (41) conducts L’infedeltà delusa with great success. After the opera, the Empress is taken to the Chinese pavilion for a concert by Haydn and the Esterházy orchestra, all in Chinese costumes.
2 September 1773 Warren Hastings, British Governor General of India, makes an alliance with the state of Oudh against the Marathas.
Amidst the visit of Empress Maria Theresia, the new Esterháza marionette theatre opens with the premiere of Joseph Haydn’s (41) new opera, Philemon und Baucis, oder Jupiters Reise auf die Erde, to words of Pfeffel. The Empress is much pleased and gives Haydn 30 ducats.
3 September 1773 The Russian Senate orders a conscription at 1 per 100 people to deal with the Turks. This ratio is considerably lower than the previous 1 per 150.
8 September 1773 Mr. Peter Beckford begins his quarterly payments to Nicolo Clementi for the privilege of bringing his son, Muzio (21) to England.
15 September 1773 The Hector arrives at Pictou with the first group of Scottish immigrants for Nova Scotia.
22 September 1773 Scepan Mali (Stephen the Little) Prince of Montenegro and pretender to the Russian crown is murdered by his Greek servant. His throat is cut. Who hired the murderer is unknown but Turks and Venetians are the leading candidates.
24 September 1773 Leopold (53) and Wolfgang Amadeus (17) Mozart depart Vienna for Salzburg.
26 September 1773 Leopold (53) and Wolfgang Amadeus (17) Mozart arrive back in Salzburg from Vienna.
28 September 1773 A Don Cossack, Emelian Ivanovich Pugachev, declares himself to be Tsar Pyotr III and begins an insurrection among the Cossacks of the Yaik River. He issues his first manifestos.
Amore e Psiche, an opera seria by Tommaso Traetta (46) to words of Coltellini, is performed for the first time, at the Russian court, St. Petersburg.
1 October 1773 The Cook expedition reaches the Friendly Islands (Tonga) at Eau, not visited by Europeans since Tasman in 1643.
2 October 1773 Pugachev’s Cossacks capture Fort Ilyetsk, the citizenry welcoming him.
3 October 1773 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (17) dates his Symphony no.24 K.182 in Salzburg.
5 October 1773 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (17) dates his Symphony no.25 K.183 in Salzburg.
7 October 1773 Symphonie concertante in E flat C33a&b by Johann Christian Bach (38) is published in London.
8 October 1773 Pugachev’s rebels capture Fort Tatishchev, west of Orenburg.
9 October 1773 Russian crown prince Pavel Petrovich marries Princess Wilhelmina of Hesse-Darmstadt in St. Petersburg.
11 October 1773 Pugachev’s rebels occupy Fort Chernorechensk, 30 km west of Orenburg.
16 October 1773 Pugachev’s Cossack army lays siege to Orenburg.
18 October 1773 A mass meeting in Philadelphia demands and obtains the resignation of merchants named as agents for the East India Company.
22 October 1773 Amore artigiano, an intermezzo by Luigi Cherubini (13), is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Domenico, Fiesole.
23 October 1773 André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry’s (32) La rosière de Salency to words of Masson de Pézay is performed for the first time, at Fontainebleau.
25 October 1773 News of Pugachev’s revolt reaches Empress Yekaterina II of Russia at St. Petersburg. Emelian Pugachev has begun a revolt against the Empress by Cossacks and Kazakhs in the Yaitsk (Oral) region. General Vasily Alyekseyevich Kar is dispatched from St. Petersburg at the head of a punitive expedition to deal with the situation.
30 October 1773 Zémire et Mélide, an opéra comique by François-André Danican-Philidor (47) to words of Fenouillot de Falbaire, is performed for the first time, at Fontainebleau.
1 November 1773 The Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Hedwig is consecrated in Berlin, the “capital of the Protestants.”
4 November 1773 Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (34) is appointed Amtshauptmann of Freiwaldau (Jeseník).
6 November 1773 La belle Arsène, a comédie-féerie mêlée d’ariettes by Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny (44) to words of Favart after Voltaire, is performed for the first time, at Fontainebleau.
7 November 1773 Freuet euch, ihr Kinder Zions, an inauguration cantata by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (59) to words of Müller, is performed for the first time, in Hamburg.
13 November 1773 Rebels besieging Orenburg assault the town but are thrown back by Russian forces with heavy losses.
19 November 1773 Cossack rebels attack the expedition of General Kar at Yuzeyeva, 100 km north of Orenburg, and send it into retreat.
24 November 1773 Pugachev and his Cossacks ambush Imperial forces coming to the aid of Orenburg. They capture them all within 15 minutes and after executing most of the officers, turn the soldiers to their side. In the afternoon, however, 2,400 Imperial troops and 22 cannon make it in to Orenburg.
4 December 1773 Sabinus, a tragédie lyrique by François-Joseph Gossec (39) to words of de Chabanon, is performed for the first time, in Versailles.
14 December 1773 Friedrich August, Bishop of Lübeck replaces Paul von Holstein-Gottorp (Crown Prince Pavel of Russia) as Count of Oldenburg.
16 December 1773 Achilles in Petticoats, a burlesque by Thomas Augustine Arne (63) to words of Colman after Gay, is performed for the first time, at Covent Garden, London.
After an indignation rally at the Old South Meeting House, several citizens of Boston dressed as Indians board three ships in Boston harbor and dump 342 chests of tea into the water to protest the tax on tea.
19 December 1773 L’Esther ossia La liberatrice del popolo giudaico nella Persia, an oratorio by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (34) to words of Pintus, is performed for the first time, in Vienna.
20 December 1773 Imperial troops from St. Petersburg enter Kazan to protect it from Pugachev.
21 December 1773 The Russian Senate approves heightened security measures in provinces surrounding the Pugachev revolt.
26 December 1773 Alessandro nell’Indie, a dramma serio by Giovanni Paisiello (33) to words of Metastasio, is performed for the first time, at the court of Modena.
30 December 1773 Céphale et Procris, ou L’amour conjugal, a ballet-héroïque by André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry (32) to words of Marmontel after Ovid, is performed for the first time, at Versailles, to celebrate the wedding of the Comte d’Artois and Marie-Thérèse of Savoy.
©2004-2012 Paul Scharfenberger
3 June 2012
Last Updated (Sunday, 03 June 2012 04:45)