Event Comment: A Serious Opera (1st time at this Theatre [1st performed at Venice, 1783]); the Music by Bianchi. "The splendour of the Opera this year in point of crowd and fashion surpasses every thing within our memory. It used to be only full on the Saturday evening...Mlle Parisot, a new dancer from Paris, is a most beautiful figure, about 18 years of age...Her balance is postively magical, for her person was almost horizontal while turning as on a pivot on her toe" (Morning Chronicle, 10 Feb.). "[Mlle Parisot's] acting proves what art may effect by beautiful simplicity. She never makes use of those tours de force with which the best female dancers at Paris still endeavour to shine. Every step of Mlle Parisot is marked by the greatest truth and dignity of nature. Every one of her movements is expressive, spirited and harmonious" (Goede, pp. 264-65)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Jordan. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by Simon, based partly on La Bonne Mere, by Jean Pierre Claris deFlorian; incidental music by Johann Gottlieb Nicolai. Larpent MS 940; not published]: To conclude with a Rural Breakfast [a representation of that given by the Countess of Buckinghamshire for the Prince of Wales at her villa near London (Genest, VII, 53)], and a Dance by the Characters. Morning Herald, 31 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Jordan, No. 14, Somerset-street, Portman-square. Receipts: #548 9s. 6d. (216.8.6; 30.2.0; 5.9.0; tickets: 296.10.0) (charge: #153 5s. 10d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; t 5, by Hannah More, based partly on Gabrielle de Vergy, by Pierre Laurent Buirette de Belloy. Prologue and Epilogue by David Garrick (see text)]: With New Scenes, Dresses, &c. Public Advertiser, 19 Dec. 1777: This Day at Noon is published Percy (1s. 6d.). Receipts: #215 (212.12.6; 2.7.6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Pope. Afterpiece [1st time; F 2, by James Cobb, based on La Fausse Suivante; ou, Le Fourbe Puni, by Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux. Prologue by the author (Knapp, 117). Larpent MS 476; not published. In 1780 this was acted at the hay as The Female Captain]. Part of the Pit will be laid into the Boxes. Public Advertiser, 15 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Pope, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden. Receipts: #202 10s. (54.14; 17.6; 1.12; tickets: 128.18) (charge: #65 17s. 2d.)

Event Comment: Afterpiece [1st time; MD 3, by John Philip Kemble, adapted from LODOISKA; ou, Les Tartares, by Jean Elie Bedeno Deiaure]: The Music composed, and selected from Cherubini, Kreutzer, and Andreozzi, by Storace. With entirely new Dresses, Scenes, Decorations and Machinery. [Scenery for Acts I and III was by Greenwood, for Act II by Malton, Lupino and Demaria; machinery was by Cabanel (see text).] Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. Morning Chronicle, 4 Oct. 1794: This day is published LODOISKA (1s. 6d.). Powell, 7 June: Lodoiska rehearsed at 12 and at night (Bannister Jun., Hobler absent). 8 June: Lodoiska rehearsed at night at 6. 9 June: Lodoiska rehearsed at 12. Receipts: #318 1s. (213/11; 101/15; 2/15)

Event Comment: WWilliam Hint in letter (Daily Gazetteer, 31 Oct.): Here again we find Mr Delane ill cast for the sake of casting Mr Sheridan?; Still worse, Need I say how much better this play would have been acted had Mr Delane? play'd Pierre, and Mr Garrick? Jaffier

Event Comment: Overture and Music for the Prelude composed by Bates. Mr Bensley return'd from Covent Garden Theatre Play'd Pierre as usual was received with Applause (Hopkins Diary). Paid Carpenter's Bill #31 10s.; Two surveyors (by Butler) #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). [The carpenter's bills averaged #10 per week during the season, or about #380 total. No further mention will be made of this item.] Receipts: #238 17s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Windham Diary (30 Jan. 1784), 41: On the Wednesday 1 went to see Mrs Crawford in 'Belvidera', and found her much as I expected, though her disparity was very great. I can perhaps better conceive the delusion that, aided by a little prejudice [in favor of Mrs Siddons] and the recollection of Mrs C. in better times, could hesitate about the preference. The chief faults that I should find would be, that her articulation was cramped and timid, her tones sometimes colloquial and vulgar, her action confined, and her countenance inexpressive. A new man of the name of Pope performed; I pronounced him in my own judgment as inferior, upon the whole, to Brereton. [Henderson's 1st appearance as Pierre was at Bath, 14 Oct. 1773.]

Event Comment: 2nd ballet: With entirely new Scenery, Machinery, Dresses and Decorations. The Music entirely new, composed by Millerd, composer for the ballets at the Opera at Paris. In the course of the performance the Grand Procession of Iphiginia into Aulide. The Scenery, Machinery, &c. designed by Marinari, and executed by him and his assistants. The decorations by Johnston, the dresses by Sestini. [Scenario published by J. Hammond [1793].] The Managers beg leave particularly to request that no Gentleman will come behind the Scenes, as the number of people engaged in the ballet, and the variety of scenery and machinery, render such admission highly inconvenient. Morning Herald, 24 Apr,: The story [of the ballet] is perhaps not very intelligibly told; but the shew and the dance are admirable. It begins and concludes with magnificent processions, the last of which brings Iphiginia to the altar, where she is saved just as the holy knife is raised for the sacrifice. At this instant the chariot of the Sun, the brilliancy of which is much beyond any former representation of the sort, passes over the stage, and is, for some time, suspended over the altar, while the whole corps de ballet offer their adorations