Event Comment: The Duke's Company. T
his performance,
the premiere, is on
the L. C. list, 5@141, p. 216: first Acting. See also
Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 348.
Nell Gwyn also attended t
his performance; see
VanLennep,
Nell Gwyn's Playgoing, p406.
The title page states:
The English Opera; or
The Vocal Musick in
Psyche, with
the Instrumental
Therein Intermix'd...By
Matthew Lock.
Preface: All
the Instrumental Musick (which is not mingled with
the Vocal) was Composed by that Great Master,
Seignior Gio. Baptista Draghi, Master of
the Italian Musick to
the King.
The Dances were made by
the most famous Master of France,
Monsieur St.Andree.
The Scenes were Painted by
the Ingenious Artist,
Mr Stephenson. In those things that concern
the Ornament or Decoration of
the Play,
the great industry and care of
Mr Betterton ought to be remember'd, at whose desire I wrote upon t
his Subject.
Roger North Upon Music: I am sure
the musick in
the Psyche was composed by Mr M. Lock, of whom wee may say, as
the Greeks sayd of
Cleomenes, that he was ultimus Heroum. T
his masque is also in print, and begins 'Great Psyche,' &c. and
the book containing
the whole musick of that entertainment is not unworthy of a place in a vertuoso's cabanet (ed.
John Wilson [1959], pp. 306-7). Preface to
Settle's
Ibrahim (licensed 4 May 1676): I have often heard
the Players cursing at
their oversight in laying out so much on so disliked a play [
Psyche]; and swearing that
they thought
they had lost more by making choice of such an Opera: writer than
they had gained by all
his Comedies; considering how much more
they might have expected, had such an Entertainment had that scence in it, that it deserved: and that for
the future
they expect
the Tempest, which cost not one Third of
Psyche, will be in request when
the o
ther is forgotten.
Downes (
Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 35-36): In February 1672.
The long expected Opera of
Psyche, came forth in all her Ornaments; new Scenes, new Machines, new Cloaths, new French Dances: T
his Opera was Splendidly set out, especially in Scenes;
the Charge of which amounted to above 800l. It had a Continuance of Performance about 8 Days toge
ther it prov'd very Beneficial to
the Company; yet
the Tempest got
them more Money