Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. Gherardi, though very ill, yet being unwilling to disappoint the Nobility, Gentry and Public who intend honouring Sga Sestini with their presence at her Benefit this Evening, has undertaken to perform in the best manner he is able, and hopes for the indulgence of the Audience. Opera: The music composed by Paisiello

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: Mainpiece [1st time; c 5, by Hannah Cowley. Prologue by Henry Bate (European Magazine, Mar. 1782, p. 210, which also gives name of speaker)]. 2nd piece [1st time; prel I, by Henry Bate (later Sir Henry Bate Dudley). Epilogue by John O'Keeffe (O'Keeffe, 11, 301)]: With New Dresses, Scenery, &c. Public Advertiser, 19 Feb. 1782: This Day is published The Dramatic Puffers (6d.). Receipts: #222 9s. 6d. (219/4/6; 3/5/0)

Event Comment: A New Comic Opera in 2 acts; The Music by Sacchini. [Opera in place of I Viaggiatori Felici, announced in Public Advertiser, 1 Mar. Nonini, who is unidentified, was from the Opera, Lisbon.] Public Advertiser, 6 Apr.: To the credit of Sacchini, it is the best Burletta extant. It is in all parts excellent . . . while it amuses, it does not fail equally to interest

Event Comment: By Permission of the Lord Chamberlain. Benefit for The Literary Fund. [In this performance the male parts were acted chiefly by amateurs; the female parts were acted by professionals. Prologue and Epilogue by Thomas Morris (Morning Herald, 17 Apr.).] The Committee for the Management of the Literary Fund respectfully inform the Public that affecting instabces of Merit in distress exceed their power of relief by the ordinary Subscription; and that they wish to have recourse to every honourable expedient to increase that power. The Admission will be by Tickets, at the Opera Prices. Boxes and Pit 10s. 6d. 1st Gallery 5s. 2nd Gallery 3s. No more Company will be admitted than the House will hold with perfect convenience; and when the proper number of Tickets is issued, no means of admission can be obtained. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 precisely. Registers: Thomas Dale, M. D.; Mr Deputy Nichols. Treasurers: Thomas Morris, Esq.; Mr E. Brooke. "In the course of the play we observed several restorations of Shakespeare's text, with some interpolations. The boldest of the latter was the introduction of Richard's son to him in the tent, the night befiredthedbefore the Battle of Bosworth field. This scene was borrowed, as we believe, from Thomas? Hull's Legendary Tale of Richard Plantagenet. It was well written, and produced a considerable degree of effect. The Ghosts were banished, and the start and stagger of Richard, heretofore the theatrical trick of the scene, necessarily omitted" (Diary, 17 Apr.)

Event Comment: 1st piece [1st time; PREL 1, by Richard Cumberland. Larpent MS 958; not published]. Without insisting on the great Expence that has been incurred in re-building this Theatre (in the erecting of which no other Object has been attempted but the greater ease, safety and accomodation of the Spectators) it appears upon the Books that the Annual Disbursements of the past Seasons have gradually been encreasing from Year to Year, under the Direction of the present Proprietor, to nearly the sum of #10,000 per Annum more than the usual Expenditure of any of his Predecessors; it is therefore trusted the Necessity of the following small Advancement of the Prices of Admission to the Boxes and the Pit will be sufficiently apparent to the Justice of that Public whose Liberality has never yet been doubted. E. Barlow, Treasurer. Boxes 6s. 2nd Price 3s. Pit 3s. 6d. 2nd Price 2s. Gallery 2s. 2nd Price 1s. No Money to be returned. The Office for taking Places for the Boxes is removed to Hart-street. The principal new Entrance to the Boxes is from the Great Portico in Bow-street; from the Small Portico are Entrances to the Pit and Gallery only. In the Old Passage from the Piazza are new Entrances to the Boxes, Pit, and Gallery. Carriages coming to Bow-street Entrances are desired to set down and take up with the Horses' Heads towards Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 5:30. To begin at 6:30 [see 12 Nov.]. [The audience objected vociferously to the increased prices of admission and to the absence of a 2nd gallery (and see under 19 Sept.). "The Prelude passed off without a syllable of it being heard...Two acts of The Road to Ruin displayed the performers' skill in pantomime, for not a word was heard...The Irishman in London then walked over the stag amidst the same riot and confusion which attended the preceding pieces" (Times, 18 Sept.).] Receipts: none listed

Event Comment: Among the Principal Instrumental Performers are G. Ashley, Leader of the Band; C. Ashley, Principal Violoncello; Wm. Parke, Sarjant, J. Mahon, Boyce, Bridgtower, Parkinson, Lavenu, Taylor, W. Ware, Flack, Dressler, Gwilliam, Nicks, [the] Munros, I. Sharp, W. Sharp, M. Sharp, J. Sharp, Archer, Cobham, Jackson, Wood, Coyle, Cornish, Purney, Leffler, Woodham, Piele, [the] Cantelos, Skillern, Beale, Lloyd, Franki, Simpson, Jenkinson, &c.; J. Ashley, Organ; R. Ashley, Double Drums (used at Westminster Abbey). The Chorusses will be numerous and complete. The whole under the Direction of Ashley. Boxes 6s. Pit 3s. 6d. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be taken of Brandon at the Office in Hart-street. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00 [same throughout oratorio season]. Books of the Performance (with the imprimatur of E. Macleish) to be had at the Theatre. [Sga Galli did not sing in The Messiah when it was originally performed in Dublin in 1742, or in London in 1743, in which year the cg oratories under Handel were established.] "I had the curiosity to go, and heard [Sga Galli] sing, 'He was despised and rejected of men' in the Messiah. Of course her voice was cracked and trembling, but it was easy to see her school was good; and it was pleasing to observe the kindness with which she was received, and listened to; and to mark the animation and delight with which she seemed to hear again the music in which she had formerly been a distinguished performer. The poor old woman had been in the habit of coming to me annually for a trifling present; and she told me on that occasion that nothing but the severest distress should have compelled her so to expose herself, which after all did not answer its end, as she was not paid according to her agreement" (Mount-Edgcumbe, pp. 19-20). [At the rehearsal, 1 Mar., I know that my Redeemer liveth sung by Mme Mara; Comfort ye my people by Braham; But@thou didst not leave by Miss Poole (Morning Herald, 2 Mar.).] "The chorusses are not such as would give satisfaction to a musical amateur: in this department we must endeavour to be content with noise and bawling, instead of sense and science:--they are not, however, worse than usual" (Monthly Visitor, Mar.1797, p. 262)

Event Comment: A Serious Opera (1st time [in London; 1st performed at Rome, 1766]); the music partly by Sarti and partly [i.e. with additions] by Paisiello. 2nd ballet: With entire new scenes by Degotti and executed by himself and Marinari. "The dresses [in this ballet] are said to be after designs from David; the costume is correct, perhaps, but it may be a little softened without injury to the effect. The contrast of colours is in some of them too harsh...The scenery is in a new stile. It has been our taste to assist the perspective by contracting the stage to a point. This was but a clumsy method, as the illusion was rarely complete, and it gave the idea of littleness. In this instance the stage is thrown open on every side, and the perspective is managed as every painter is obliged to manage it, on the broad surface, but still with the mechanic aids which scenery affords. The effect was enchanting" (Morning Chronicle, 30 Nov.). The Doors to be opened at 6:30. To begin at 7:30 [same throughout season]. Pit 10s. 6d. Gallery 5s. No Money to be returned. The Subscribers are most earnestly entreated to observe that, on account of the abuses frequently practised in their names, it has become absolutely necessary to adopt the former rule for Subscribers themselves to produce their Tickets at the doors as they pass into the Theatre. The Upper Boxes to be lett by the night, at one Guinea each for four persons. The way to them through the Gallery Staircase