 In 1776 he took a position as first violin in the Italian opera troupe of Teresa Taveggia, which was touring Spain at the time.The company suffered a number of setbacks thanks to ecclesiastical authorities, but even so Ximénez was so well-regarded that Carlos III invited him to spend a year at the royal court.At the end of the sojourn he returned to Alicante to his position at the chapel of San Nicolás, remaining there until his death.