The son of Joseph Franz Weigl (1740–1820), the principal cellist in the orchestra of the Esterházy family, he studied music under Johann Georg Albrechtsberger and Antonio Salieri. He became Kapellmeister at the court theatre in Vienna in 1792, and from 1827 to 1838 was vice-Kapellmeister of the court.
Weigl composed a number of operas, both Italian and German and in various genres, although most of his late works are pieces of sacred music. His best known work was the opera Die Schweizerfamilie (1809). He also set Emanuel Schikaneder's libretto Vestas Feuer (1805), after Ludwig van Beethoven had composed a single scene and then abandoned it.
He died in Vienna.
Paganini: Sonata con Variazioni su un Tema di Joseph Weigl, MS. 47
Operas
(first performed in Vienna, unless otherwise noted)
Die unnütze Vorsicht oder Die betrogene Arglist, puppet opera in one act, (1783)
Il pazzo per forza, opera in two acts (1788)
La caffettiera bizzarra, komische Oper in three acts (1790)
Der Strazzensammler oder Ein gutes Herz ziert jeden Stand, komische Oper in one act (1792)
La principessa d’Amalfi, komische Oper in two acts (1794)
Das Petermännchen, play with songs in eight scenes (1794)
