Event Comment: king's "On 28th March 1795, I saw
the Opera
Aci & Galathea by
Bianchi.
The music is very rich in parts for
the wind instruments, and I ra
ther think one would hear
the principal melody better if it were not so richly scored.
The Opera is too long, especially since
Banti has to keep everything going all by herself; for
Brida is a good youngster with a beautiful voice but very little musical feeling; and
Rovedino, and
the good old
Braghetti, and
the wretched
Seconda Donna-
they all deserved, and received, not
the least applause.
The orchestra is larger this year, but just as mechanical and badly placed as it was before, and indiscreet in its accompaniments; in short, it was
the 3rd time that this Opera was performed, and everyone was dissatisfied. It happened that, when
the 2nd Ballet began,
the whole public suddenly became dissatisfied and yelled 'off-off-off,' because
they wanted to see
the new Ballet which
Madam Hilligsberg had given at her
Benefice 2 days earlier. Everyone was embarrassed-
there was an interval lasting half an hour-until at last a dancer came forward and said, very submissively: 'Ladies and Gentlemen: since
the performer [sic, instead of proprietor]
Mr Taylor cannot be found,
the whole Ballet Company promises to perform
the desired ballet next week, for which, however,
the Impresario must pay Madam Hilligsberg #300.'That satisfied
them, and
they
then yelled, 'go on-go on;' and thus
the old Ballet was performed' (
Haydn, 293)