Event Comment: Benefit for H. Johnston. Mainpiece: 1st time at this Theatre; by Permission of Mr Colman. Morning Chronicle, 9 Apr.: Tickets to be had of H. Johnston, No. 47, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. Receipts: #334 3s. 6d. (174.7.6; 1.14.0; tickets: 158.2.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Johnstone. 1st piece: By permission of G. Colman, Esq.; never performed here. [Bannister Jun.'s 1st appearance at this theatre was on 2 Feb. 1779.] 3rd piece: Not performed here these 3 years. [No play of this title had been hitherto acted anywhere. But it appears to be the same as The Sailor's Prize, for which see cg, 1 May 1795.] Morning Chronicle, 22 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Johnstone, No. 19, Piazza, Covent Garden. Receipts: #478 (208.6.6; 13.17.6; tickets: 255.16.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Pope. Mainpiece: Not acted these 6 years. In I a Grand Banquet Scene. A Procession from the Abbey at the Coronation of Queen Anne Bullen. The Piece to conclude with the ceremony at the Royal Christening. [Holman's 1st appearance as King Henry was at this theatre, 24 May 1793.] Morning Chronicle, 27 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Mrs Pope, Half Moon-street, Piccadilly. Receipts: #391 0s. 6d. (299.15.6; 2.9.0; tickets: 88.16.0)

Event Comment: The Subscription Operas being now over, Ladies (not Subscribers) may be accomodated with Boxes for the remainder of the season, by applying to Shelmerdine, at the Office of the Theatre, in the Haymarket

Event Comment: The Public are most respectfully informed that, on account of the danger to Gentlemen frequenting the Scenes, as well as to the Performers, and the other persons necessarily employed in working the machinery, in the scenes and decorations, no stranger can with safety remain upon the stage during the representation of this Opera; it has therefore become unavoidably necessary to shut up the communication between the audience part of the Theatre and the Stage during the performance of Alessandro e Timoteo, but the avenues will be opened as usual as soon as the Opera is over

Event Comment: By Desire of His Excellency The Turkish Ambassador [Ismail Ferrouh Effendi]. Benefit for Miss Leak. ["His Excellency never made his appearance during the whole evening" (Dramatic Censor, II, 238).] Afterpiece: By permission of the Proprietor of the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. Morning Chronicle, 22 May: Tickets to be had of Miss Leak, Upper Mews-gate, Castle-street. Receipts: #445 9s. (101.11; 64.1; 2.14; tickets: 277.3) (charge: #212 3s. 5d.)

Event Comment: Benefit Wm. Mills and Mrs Mills

Event Comment: [Extra night] Benefit for the General Lying-In Hospital, at Bays-water. Under the Patronage of Her Majesty. [Braham's 1st appearance at this theatre was on 21 Apr. 1787.]. The Orchestra under the Direction of Mountain. Principal Oboe by W. Parke. To the Renters of Covent Garden Theatre, it is humbly requested by the Promoters of the Charity, for which the Opera performed this Evening is appropriated, that they will humanely forego their claim on that Night, it being out of the Manager's Season, and an additional expence to the Charity. Those Gentlemen willing to resign their demand on the above occasion are requested to send word t the Theatre which will be thankfully received by the promoters of the Charity. The Doors to be opened at 6:00. To begin at 7:00. Tickets to be had at the Hospital; The Crown and Anchor Tavern, Strand; Longman and Broderip's; and of Brandon at the Theatre, where places for the Boxes may be taken. Receipts: none listed in Account-Book, but Monthly Visitor, July 1797, p. 63, reports that #401 was received

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: To Blackfryars [presumably a slip for Whitefriars, Salisbury Court] (the first time I ever was there since plays begun), and there after great patience and little expectation, from so poor beginning, I saw three acts of The Mayd in ye Mill, acted to my great content. But it begin late, I left the play

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: [Mr Herbert] and I and the two young ladies and my wife to the playhouse, the Opera, and saw The Mayde in the Mill, a pretty good play

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: At the Duke's play-house, and there saw The Maid in the Mill, revived--a pretty, harmless old play. Langbaine (English Dramatick Poets, p. 211): This Play amongst others has likewise been reviv'd by the Dukes House

Event Comment: Benefit Mrs Mills and Mrs Cox. Written by Shakespear. This being positively the last time of the Company's Acting this Season

Event Comment: [As mainpiece the playbill announces Tancred and Sigismunda, but "In consequence of Mrs Crawford's being taken suddenly ill yesterday forenoon, Tancred and Sigismunda...could not be acted; The Maid of the Mill was substituted in its stead, but most of the boxes which had been taken were given up, and the change cost the managers upwards of a hundred pounds; a matter which Mrs Crawford ought to take into her serious consideration, and to recollect besides, that whenever her name is on the bills, and she is [not] so much indisposed that her appearance on the stage would be fatal to her health, it is her duty not to disappoint her publick" (Morning Chronicle, 30 Jan.).

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 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: A new opera set to Musick by Vento

Event Comment: Pit and Boxes Half a Guinea. Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. To begin at 7:00 p.m. Director-Vento; Ballet Master-Bouqueton, A New Comic Opera. Music by the most celebrated masters. [The Public Advertiser on 13 Sept. (notice dated 9 Sept.) had inserted a plea from the managers of the Opera to the Nobility and Gentry to enter their names at the office for season subscriptions in order that their names might be engraved. The singers and dancers who had been engaged for the season: Serious Opera. First Man-Venanzio Rauzzini; First Woman-Caterina Gabrielli; Tenor-Onofrio; Second Man-Manzoletto; Second Woman-Francesca Gabrielli; Last Man-Vincenzo Sestini. Comic Opera: First buffo-Trebbi; First buffa-Sga Sestini; Serious Man-Manzoletto; Serious Woman-Francesca Gabrielli; Second buffo-Fochetti; Second buffa-Sga Cardarelli; Third buffo-Vincenzio Sestini; Ballet Master: Bouqueton. Dancers: Fierville, Palladini, Helm, Mlle Escoelil, Sga Tinti, Mlle Sophie. Managers: Mrs Yates and Mrs Brook; Treasurer-Crawford.

Event Comment: A new Opera composed by Giardini. With two entire new sets of Scenes at the Managers Expense. New dresses. New Dances

Event Comment: Benefit for Sieur Daigville & Signa Vidini. Music for the Pantomime Dance entirely new, composed by Barthelemon. New Habits (playbill). Paid Mr Lutherbourg, on acct #50 (Treasurer's Book). Receipts. #154 18s. Charges: #64 9s. Profits to Daigville and Vidini #90 9s. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Epilogue by David Garrick. Second Ballet: with New Scenes [by deLoutherbourg] and Dresses [by Lupini]. Two new Grand Ballets, composed by Gallet, were introduced in this Piece (The Maid of the Oaks) in which Gallet and Mlle Dupre made their first Appearance upon the Eng. Stage--the first Dance, which was to be in the 2nd Act, was obliged to be deferred till the end of the 3rd Act, as Lupini, who made the Dancers Dresses, had not brought them to the House--this put us all into great Confusion, and Dodd made an Apology to the Audience, that an unforseen Accident had prevented the Dance being done in the proper Place. At the beginning of the 3rd Act most of the Dresses were brought, but not all, and some of the Dancers were obliged to put on what Dresses could be got for them--They were all very much confused--the Music also was not perfect. Gallet went on, and spoke in French to the Audience, and told the Band that he wished they had any Heads. In the first Dance Mlle Dupre fell down, and a little after Gallet fell down, but (they) did not hurt themselves, and the Dance went on--and even with all these Disadvantages was much applauded (Hopkins Diary). Receipts: #181 19s. 6d

Event Comment: A New Serious Opera [1st time; SER 3]. The Poetry by Goldoni; the Music entirely new by Tommaso Tragetta [recte Traetta]. Public Advertiser, 27 Jan.: "A senseless, impertinent Opera:...with Music, in point of Dullness, extremely well suited to the Book." [This review notes that the new scenery was painted by Colomba.