Event Comment: A new Serious Opera. The Music by several eminent Masters; under the Direction of Giardini [who also composed the overture (see 14 Dec.)]. With magnificent new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. Tickets will be delivered at the Office in Union-court, Haymarket, at Half a Guinea each. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command, No Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. Care will be taken that no Inconvenience shall arise from the Pavement not being compleated in the Haymarket, the Commisioners having promised to leave the Way safe for Carriages. The Nobility and Gentry will be so obliging to give Orders to take up and set down with their Horses Heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market Lane for Chairs only. Public Advertiser, 21 Sept.: Subscriptions are received by Messrs Hoare, in Fleet-street, and by Johnson at the Office in Union-court, Hay-market

Event Comment: Public Advertiser, 3 Mar.: "When [Reinhold] appeared on the Stage [in the afterpiece], after some little Time the excessive Glare of the Lamps affected him so much [because of an incomplete recovery from illness] that he dropped down in the Middle of his Part in a fainting Fit, of which he soon afterwards perfectly recovered in the Green Room. The Audience, with their wonted Indulgence and Humanity, universally insisted that the Curtain should be dropped." Receipts: #259 5s. (257.17; 1.8)

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera; the Music by Paisiello [and "other eminent Composers" (libretto)]; under the Direction of Giordani. With magnificent new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. Tickets will be delivered at the Office, Union Court, Haymarket, at Half a Guinea each. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command no Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. The Coffee Room will be open with Tea, Coffee, Lemonade, Orgeat, Ice, Creams, &c. which will be furished by Weltje, of St. James's Street. To prevent Inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their Carriages, they are respectfully intreated to give positive Orders to their Servants to set down and take up with their Horses Heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market Lane for Chairs only. [Public Advertiser, 13 Feb. 1778, prints a letter outlining a scheme-never realized-of having occasional plays at king's on non-opera nights acted by performers from both dl and cg, and by "the young Nobility of both Sexes."

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera. The music entirely new by Sacchini. With entire new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations both for the Opera and Dances. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command, no person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [see 5 June 1779]. To prevent Inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their Carriages they are respectfully intreated to give positive orders to their Servants to set down and take up with their Horses Heads towards Pall-mall. The door in Market Lane for Chairs only. Public Advertiser, 31 Oct.: To prevent mistakes Ladies who have not honoured the Director with the names of the Subscribers to their Boxes are particularly requested to send them as early as possible to Johnson, at the Office of the Theatre, in order to [permit] their Tickets being engraved. The Renters' Shares proposed to be granted on this Theatre are now made out, and particulars prepared, at Messrs Wallis and Parker's, Norfolk-street, Strand, who are impowered by the Proprietors to dispose in single Shares of those which remain unsubscribed for. The annual Subscriptions are receiving by Johnson at the Office of the Theatre in Union-court, Haymarket

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera [1st time; SER 3, by Pietro Metastasio; a pasticcio]. The Music by various eminent Composers [Anfossi, Myslivecek and Piccinni]. Amongst them several airs by Handel. Under the Direction of Bertoni. With entire new Scenes, Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. and 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command no Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughtout season]. To prevent inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their carriages, they are most respectfully intreated to give positive orders to their Servants to set down and take up with their Horses Heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market Lane for Chairs only. To prevent mistakes, Ladies who have not sent the names of the Subscribers to their Boxes are particularly requested to send them as early as possible to Johnson, at the office of the Theatre, in order to [permit] their Tickets being engraved. Subscriptions are received by Johnson in Union Court, Hay Market

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Morning Chronicle, 22 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, No. 151, Drury-lane. 1st piece [1st time; M. PREL I, by George Downing]: The Music by Hook. 3rd piece: Not acted these 18 years. With a grand burlesque Procession and triumphal Entry of Alexander into London. The Nobles, Guards, Officers and Attendants will be all dressed in the Habits of the Times. Receipts: #274 14s. (173.9; tickets: 101.5) (charge: #70 7s. 6d.)

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera; the Music by several celebrated Composers [chiefly Scolari], and conducted Ii.e. arranged] by Bianchi. With new Scenes, new Dresses and Decorations. Public Advertiser, 27 Nov.: L'Arcifanfano was performed for the first time on Saturday, and universally disapproved of. It will not be repeated Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Their Majesties' Command, no Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout season, except for L'Omaggio (see 5 June 1781)]. To prevent Inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their Carriages, they are most respectfully intreated to give positive orders to their servants to set down and take up with their Horses' Heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market Lane for Chairs only

Event Comment: To prevent incovenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their Carriages, they are most respectfully intreated to give positive orders to their Servants, to set down and take up with their horses heads towards Pall-Mall

Event Comment: A revived Serious Opera; the Music by the most eminent Composers [Bertoni, Gugliclmi, Giordani, Rauzzini, Gretry, &c], under the direction of Bertoni. With entire new scenes painted by Novosielski. New Dresses and Decorations both for the Opera and Dances. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [see 18 June 1782]. By Command of Their Majesties no Persons to be admitted behind the Scenes. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. Upper Gallery 3s. To prevent inconvenience in getting to their carriages, the Nobility and Gentry are requested to order their servants to set down and take up with their horses' heads towards Pall-Mali. The Subscribers to the Opera are intreated to send their instructions to Jewell and Johnson at the Office in Union-court before the opening of the Theatre, when the final arrangement of the Boxes will take place, and those which are not retained will then be disposed of. Subscriptions to be paid on delivery of the tickets. Books of the Opera, with an account of the Pantomime Dance, to be had at the Theatre

Event Comment: "I have been for two days in town, and seen Mrs Siddons . . . She is a good figure, handsome enough, though neither nose nor chin according to the Greek standard, beyond which both advance a good deal. Her hair is either red, or she has no objection to its being thought so, and had used red powder. Her voice is clear and good; but I thought she did not vary its modulations enough, nor ever approach enough to the familiar--but this may come when more habituated to the awe of the audience of the capital. Her action is proper, but with little variety; when without motion, her arms are not genteel ... I treated my eyes, not only with Mrs Siddons but a harlequin farce. But there again my ancient prejudices operated: how unlike the pantomimes of Rich, which were full of wit, and coherent, and carried on a story! What I now saw was Robinson Crusoe: how Aristotle and Bossu, had they ever written on pantomimes, would swear! It was a heap of contradictions and violations of the costume. Friday is turned into Harlequin, and falls down at an old man's feet that I took for Pantaloon, but they told me it was Friday's father. I said, 'Then it must be Thursday'" (Walpole [3 Nov. 1782], XII, 356-57, 359). Receipts: #241 6s. (222/4/0; 18/15/6; 0/6/6)

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera [1st time; com 2, by Filippo Livigni, with alterations by Antonio Andrei]: The Music entirely new by Bertoni. [Bartolini was from the Opera, Milan.] The Music and Orchestra under the direction of Giardini. New Scenes and Decorations by Novosielski. Entirely new dresses by Lupino. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. By Command of Their Majesties no Persons to be admitted behind the Scenes. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. To prevent inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their carriages, they are most respectfully intreated to give positive orders to their servants to set down and take up with their horses' heads towards Pall-mall. The Door in Market-lane for Chairs only. Subscription tickets will be admitted every Opera Night (Benefits excepted) during the Season

Event Comment: In order to prevent Confusion among the Carriages, Ladies and Gentlemen are humbly requested to order their Servants to set down and take up with their Horses' Heads towards Pali-Mall. Servants are particularly desired not to croud the Doors, or to come up till called for. 1st piece: In three Scenes of Dialogue

Event Comment: A Serious Opera [1st time; ser 3, by Giovanni de Gamerra; a pasticcio, with music by Anfossi, Gluck, Alessandri, Martini, Sarti, Giordani]; the Music under the Direction of Anfossi. With new Scenes, painted by Novosielski, new Dresses and Decorations, both for the Opera and Dances. By their Majesties Command, no Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin exactly at 7:00 [same throughout season]. The Subscribers' Tickets are ready to be delivered at the Office in Unionstreet. To prevent Inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their Carriages, they are most respectfully intreated to give positive orders to their servants to set down and take up with their Horses Heads towards Pall-Mall. The Door in Market-lane for Chairs only

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill assigns Lord Lumbcrcourt to Wilson, but "Lee Lewes was the substitute for Wilson, and far indeed better than the man he appeared for" (Public Advertiser, 31 Jan.).] Afterpiece [1st time; P 2, by John O'KeerFe]: The Music composed by Shield. The Scenery designed by Richards and Carver, and executed by them, Hodgins, and others. The 1st Part of this Pantomime is an Alteration of the Last New One [Friar Bacon (see 23 Dec. 1783)], and the 2nd Part entirely new and never before exhibited. Nothing under Full Price will be taken. "If Macklin once loses the Catch Word he is gone irretrievably." At the end of the 3rd act, at half price, some apprentices coming into the pit talked so loudly that "Macklin stopped; he lost himself. ... He came to the Side of the Stage, and stooping down to the Talkers, said, 'Gentlemen, I must beg you to be silent; my Hearing and Recollection are not so perfect as they were; I cannot proceed for your Talking'" (Public Advertiser, 5 Feb.). Receipts: #286 14s. (282/15; 3/19)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; C 5, by Thomas Holcroft, based on Le Mariage de Figaro, by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais; incidental music by William Shield. In 1789 reduced to an afterpiece of 3 acts. Prologue by the author (Europaen Magazine, Dec. 1784, p. 467)]: With new Dresses, Decorations, &c. Public Advertiser, 10 Mar. 1785: This Day is published The Follies of A Day (1s. 6d.). [For an account of Holcroft's shorthand transcription of the original, taken down during a performance in Paris, and the hasty rehearsals of it in London, see Elbridge Colby, A Bibliography of Thomas Holcroft, 1922, pp. 48-50.]

Event Comment: To prevent inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their carriages they are most respectfully intreated to give positive orders to their servants to set down and take up with their horses heads towards Pall-mall. The Doors in Market-lane for chairs only

Event Comment: [The playbill lists Wilson as Justice Shallow in mainpiece, and as Father Luke in afterpiece. On the Kemble playbill his name is deleted, but the substitute name has been cut by the binder. "It is necessary to inform those who may have read a long criticism on Wilson's performance of Justice Shallow, on Tuesday evening [in Public Advertiser, 2 Nov.], that Wilson did not perform that or any other character, as he is laid up, or rather down, with a violent fit of the gout" (General Advertiser, 3 Nov.). For Fearon as Justice Shallow see 30 Apr. 1785, 29 Nov. 1786; for Booth as Father Luke see 25 Nov. 1785.] Receipts: #139 6s. (134/5; 5/1)

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera [in 2 acts]; the Music entirely new by Paisiello, under the direction of [i.e. with additions by] Cherubini. Public Advertiser, 26 Jan.: "Il Marchese Tulipano was in its original state a petite piece [in 1 act] of Paisiello [entitled Le Finte Contesse; performed at this theatre on 26 Mar. 1778 as Il Marchese Villano], enlarged to the size in which it is now before us by Cherubini." By Their Majesties Command no Person can be admitted behind the Scenes. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. The Doors to be opened at 6:30. To begin exactly at 7:30 [same throughout season]. Subscriptions are received at Messrs. Ransom, Morland and Hammersley's, Bankers, No. 57, Pall-mall, who will deliver the Subscription Tickets. The Nobility and Gentry, Subscribers to the Opera-house, are respectfully entreated to send for them, in order to prevent future mistakes, as nobody can be admitted without producing a ticket. N.B. To prevent Inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their Carriages they are most respectfully entreated to give positive Orders to their Servants to set down and take up with their Horses Heads towards Pall-Mall. The Doors in Market-Lane for Chairs only. All Persons claiming free Admission into this Theatre by Renters' Shares or otherwise are requested to bring their Titles to the Office every Day, from Eleven to Twelve o'clock in the Forenoon, in order that they may be registered previous to the opening of the House

Event Comment: "A most ridiculous circumstance happened in the last act [of mainpiece]--nothing less than a total silence on the Stage, where all the Dramatis Personae stood in a rank, waiting for the next speech, which however was not heard, for, after a considerable time, the curtain was let down . . . Lewis came forward and acquainted the House that the part sent to Aickin was incomplete, and that he (who was to finish the Play) had never been furnished with the last speech. As we understood rehearsals were necessary to getting up Plays, we cannot reconcile this blunder to our apprehension" (General Advertiser, 6 Mar.). Receipts: #157 16s. (152/10; 5/6)

Event Comment: [A detailed account of all three pieces appears in Sophie v. la Roche, Sophie in London, 1933, pp. 93-95. The theatre is described as seeming "exceptionally small, but it is very prettily painted in blue and white; the boxes, as in Paris, are open and everything is well lit." In 3rd piece "A twelve-year-old girl dressed as a poor boy who walks around with a bundle of rushes, straw and reeds to patch up old chairs, then really sits down to work on one, sang and played unusually well; indeed, was obliged to give two encores; the third time, however, announced with dignity and candour that it would not be possible, and that she feared she might be unable to take her part the next day; which would grieve her excessively, as she liked having her modest talents appreciated and applauded. Everyone clapped and praised her aloud. She is beuatiful, and deserves to be the nation's darling, and will certainly become a great actress, competent to keep her voice, gesture and features in complete control, never using her talents wrongly or producing exaggerated effects."]

Event Comment: A Serious Opera in 2 acts [1st time; altered by Carlo Francesco Badini from Demetrio, by Metastasio]; the music by Gresnick. By their Majesties' Command no person can be admitted behind the scenes. Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. The Doors to be opened at 6:30. To begin exactly at 7:30 [see 2 June 1787]. Subscriptions are received at Messrs Ransom, Morland and Hammersley's, Bankers, No. 57, Pall-mall, who will deliver the subscription tickets. The Nobility and Gentry, subscribers to the Opera-house, are respectfully intreated to send for them, in order to prevent future mistakes, as nobody can be admitted without producing a ticket. To prevent inconvenience to the Nobility and Gentry in getting to their carriages, they are most respectfully intreated to give positive orders to their servants to set down and take up with their horses' heads towards Pall-mall. The doors in Market-lane for chairs only. [Synopsis of opera in Morning Post, 25 Dec. Mme Perignon and Goyon were from the Opera, Paris.] Receipts: #86 11s. 6d. [These receipts, and those on all other nights throughout the opera season, represent the sale of non-subscription tickets. On this night 400 tickets were delivered to Prendergrass, office-keeper at the Haymarket pit entrance; of these he sold 84 at 10s. 6d. (i.e. #44 2s.). 100 were delivered to Reynolds, office-keeper at the King's Door pit entrance; he sold 6 at 10s. 6d. (i.e. #3 3s.). 300 were delivered to Butler, office-keeper of the 1st Gallery; he sold 112 at 5s. (i.e. #28). 200 were delivered to Snelson, office-keeper of the 2nd Gallery; he sold 70 at 3s. (i.e. #10 10s.). "Difference from Gallery to Pit" (i.e. money received from persons who changed their seats from gallery to pit, 16s. 6d.). The delivery of 1,000 non-subscription tickets to be disposed of was almost invariably the case on every night of the season. If a subscriber's box was released for sale it could be had for 2 guineas (see 6 Feb. 1787).

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Kemble. "Kemble? Sen. performed the Miller...Here and there we could perceive the liberty of the country performer, by saying more than was set down by the author" (Public Advertiser, 27 Aug.). [Address by John Taylor (European Magazine, Sept. 1788, p. 217).] Public Advertiser, 21 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Kemble, No. 26, Villiers-street, York-buildings, Strand

Event Comment: 1st piece: For the 1st Time compress'd [anonymously] into 2 Acts. MacNally brought [Arthur Murphy] to Covent-garden Theatre to see [Robin Hood]; when, to the surprise of the author...the opera was that night performed as an afterpiece, having been, without his knowledge, cut down into two acts" (O'Keeffe, I, 45). 3rd piece: Not acted these 16 years [acted 12 Dec. 1780]. Receipts: #212 14s. 6d. (209.14.0; 3.0.6)