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: My wife and I by water to the Opera, and there saw The Bondman most excellently acted; and though we had seen it so often, yet I never liked it better than to-day, Ianthe [Mrs Saunderson] acting Cleora's part very well now Roxalana [Mrs Hester Davenport] is gone. We are resolved to see no more plays till Whitsuntide, we having been three days together. Met Mr Sanchy, Smithes, Gale, and Edlin at the play, but having no great mind to spend money, I left them there

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I by coach to the Opera, and there saw the 2nd part of The Siege of Rhodes, but it is not so well done as when Roxalana [Mrs Davenport] was there, who, it is said, is now owned by my Lord of Oxford

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. Pepys, Diary: My wife and I slunk away to the Opera, where we saw Wit in a Constable, the first time that it is acted; but so silly a play I never saw I think in my life

Event Comment: Pepys, Diary: Discoursed most about plays and the Opera, where, among other vanities, Captain Cooke had the arrogance to say that he was fain to direct Sir W. Davenant in the breaking of his verses into such and such lengths, according as would be fit for musick, and how he used to swear at Davenant, and command him that way, when W. Davenant would be angry, and find fault with this or that note--but a vain coxcomb I perceive he is, though he sings and composes so well. But what I wondered at, Dr Clerke did say that Sir W. Davenant is no good judge of a dramatick poem, finding fault with his choice of Henry the 5th, and others, for the stage, when I do think, and he confesses, The Siege of Rhodes as good as ever was writ

Event Comment: The Travels of Cosmo the Third [Tuesday 30 April 1669 NS; Tuesday 20 April 1669 OS]: This day, his highness went to the comedy at the Duke of York's theatre, where the music and dancing, after the English manner, were less pleasing than the operas performed by the comedians; because, being in the English language, the only pleasure which we who heard them, can derive from the latter, is that of observing their action, which it cannot be denied, was supereminently excellent (London, 1821, p. 194)

Event Comment: See L. C. 5@149, p. 456, in Nicoll, Restoration Drama, pp. 354-55, ordering the delivery of scenes in Whitehall to Louis Grabu for use in the French opera at dl. See 30 March 1674

Event Comment: The Bulstrode Papers (1, 274): The first of January ye young Princes are to divert their Maties and Court wth a play & an opera in whch ye splendour of ye English monarchy will be seen

Event Comment: See 22 May 1677. John Verney to Edmund Verney, 31 May 1677: On Wednesday his Majesty's birth night was some gallantry at Whitehall, where was acted a French opera, but most pitifully done, so ill that the King was aweary on't, and some say it was not well contrived to entertain the English gentry, who came that night in honour to their King, with a lamentable ill-acted French play, when our English actors so much surpass; however, the dances and voices were pretty well performed (HMC, 7th Report, Appendix, Part I, 1879, p. 468)

Event Comment: The Duke's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but as the play was entered in the Term Catalogues, November 1681, it was probably first given in September, certainly not later than October. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 38-39): Being a kind of Opera, having several Machines of Flyings for the Witches, and other Diverting Contrivances in't: All being well perform'd, it prov'd beyond Expectation; very Beneficial to the Poet and Actors. Edition of 1682, To the Reader: I heard that great opposition was design'd against the Play (a month before it was acted)...The Master of the Revels (who I must confess used me civilly enough) Licenc'd it at first with little alteration: But there came such an Alarm to him...that upon a Review, he expunged all that you see differently Printed, except about a dozen lines which he struck out at the first reading....I had so numerous an assembly of the best sort of men, who stood so generously in my defence, for the first three days, that they quash'd all the vain attempts of my Enemies, the Inconsiderable Party of Hissers yielded, and the Play lived in spight of them

Event Comment: Newdigate newsletters, 14 Aug. 1683: The Manager of ye Kings Theatre intend wth in short time to pforme an Opera in like manner of yt of ffrance. Mr Betterton wth other Actrs are gone over to fetch Ye designe [Wilson, Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 82). See also a letter from Lord Preston to the Earl of Sunderland, Paris, 25 Aug. 1683 N.S. concerning Betterton's visit to Paris (HMC, 7th Report, Appendix, p. 288)

Event Comment: The United Company. Presumably the Opera was acted on this day. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, I, 346: The 10th, one capt. Goreing was killed at the playhouse by Mr Deering

Event Comment: The United Company. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 23 Jan. 1685@6: Today will be acted King and noe King, by the King's command; everybody is sending to keep places; next week begins the French opera (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 102)

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@147, p. 125. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 350. Peregrine Bertie to the Countess of Rutland, 28 Jan. 1685@6: Last night was acted, the Chances at Whitehall, and to-night should have been a musicke meeting at Yorke Buildings, which I am jest now told is to bee put of till next weeke. The French Opera will begin the weeke after the next (HMC, 12th Report, Appendix, Rutland MSS., Part V, Vol. II, p. 102)

Event Comment: The date of this amateur performance is not known, but the date generally accepted is December 1689. See Alfred Loewenberg, The Annals of Opera, Second Edition, Columns 85-86; and R. E. Moore, Henry Purcell and the Restoration Theatre (Cambridge, Mass., 1961), pp. 38-69. The Epilogue is in New Poems (1690)

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@151, p. 369: Ye Q: a Box & a Box for ye Maids Honor Amphitrion. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. The date of the first performance is not known, and it is doubtful that this one is the first; the premiere may have occurred early in October. The Songs and Music were published in 1690 and again in 1691, and have been edited by the Purcell Society, XVI (1906), iii-vi. Dedication, Edition of 1690: But what has been wanting on my part, has been abundantly supplied by the Excellent Composition of Mr Purcell; in whose person we have at length found an English Man equal with the best abroad. At least, my Opinion of him has been such, since his happy and judicious performances in the late opera [The Prophetess], and the experience I have had of him, in the setting my three Songs for this Amphitryon": To all which, and particularly to the composition of the Pastoral Dialogue, the numerous Quire of Fair Ladies gave so just an Applause on the Third Day. Cibber, Apology, I, 113: As we have sometimes great Composers of Musick who cannot sing, we have as frequently great Writers that cannot read; and though without the nicest Ear no Man can be Master of Poetical Numbers, yet the best Ear in the World will not always enable him to pronounce them. Of this Truth Dryden, our first great Master of Verse and Harmony, was a strong Instance: When he brought his Play of Amphytrion to the Stage, I heard him give it his first Reading to the Actors, in which, though it is true he deliver'd the plain Sense of every Period, yet the whole was in so cold, so flat, and unaffecting a manner, that I am afraid of not being believ'd when I affirm it

Event Comment: The United Company. The Gentleman's Journal, January 1691@2, page 5, implies that King Arthur was revived in December 1691: And the last Opera called King Arthur, which hath been plaid several times the last Month. [Since the Gentleman's Journal was often published in the month following the date of an issue, it is possible that this revival occurred in January 1691@2, for there was a certain performance on 7 Jan. 1691@2.

Event Comment: The United Company. This performance is on the L. C. list, 5@151, p. 369: ye Q a Box & a Box for ye Maids Honr K Arthur. See also Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 352. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, II, 331: The queen and queen dowager went this evening to the play of Mr Dryden s opera. [See also the reference to this play under January 1691@2 above.

Event Comment: Gentleman's Journal, March 1691@2 (licensed 9 March 1691@2): And after Easter we are to have a New Opera; and Mr Dryden's Cleomenes very shortly

Event Comment: The United Company. Newdigate newsletters, 11 June 1692: And on Monday [the Princess Anne] comes to see the new opera (Wilson, More Theatre Notes from the Newdigate Newsletters, p. 59)

Event Comment: Rich's Company. The date of this production is not certain. The Dedication, signed by George Powell and John Verbruggen, is dated Monday, 16 Oct. 1696, but this date is in error, for the sixteenth fell on Friday in October; however, 16 Nov. 1696 fell on Monday. In addition, the Dedication implies that the two men hope to have visitors (i.e., spectators at performances) on "Wednesday, and Saturday next, the Visiting Days of, Your Friends and Servants, George Powell, John Verbruggen." It is possible that the text and the songs were printed in advance of performance and were available at the theatre, but it is still uncertain whether the opera first appeared in October or November 1696. The Single Songs, With the Dialogue, was published separately in 1696, with Daniel Purcel named as the composer. The songs to which performers' names are listed are as follows: Cease, Cynthia, cease your fruitless tears, sung by Mrs Cross. I courted and writ, the verse by Jo Hanes and sung by Church. How happy I am the fair sex can defy, the verse by Jo Hanes and sung by Leveridge. 'Tis in vain to tell me I am deceived, sung by Freeman. Great queen of Hymen's hallowed fires, sung by Mrs Willis. Why, Chloe, will you not perceive, the verse by John Robens and sung by Church. Why dost thou fly me, sung by Edwards and Mrs Cross. If mortals laugh and sing, sung by Freeman. The Songs were entered in the Term Catalogues, November 1696

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the Prologue refers to The World in the Moon, suggesting a premiere during (or shortly after) the run of that opera. Since The Innocent Mistress was advertised in the Post Boy, 29-31 July 1697, this fact points also to a late June premiere. A song, When I languished and wished, set by John Eccles and sung by Mrs Hodgson, is in Wit and Mirth, Second Edition, 1707. Gildon, English Dramatick Poets, p. iii: This is a diverting Play, and met with good Success, tho' acted in the hot Season of the Year. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702), p. 20: Tho' the Title calls this Innocent, yet it deserves to be Damn'd for its Obscenity

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Post Boy, 29 June-1 July 1697: The New Opera will be Acted this day for the benefit of the Undertaker....The new Opera...is acting with great applause. It is licensed by the Lord Chamberlain's Secretary, and the Master of the Revels; and may be had, with all the songs, at A. Roper's, at the Black-boy in Fleet-street, price 1s

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Post Boy, 16-18 Dec. 1697: We hear that the Marquiss of Carmarthen who lately Entertain'd the Great Officer from the Czar of Muscovy, at the Opera call'd the Prophetess, has this day Bespoke the Entertainment of the Indian Queen at the Theatre Royal

Event Comment: Rich's Company. Post Boy, 13-15 Jan. 1697@8: 'Tis said that this day will be Acted, at the Theatre in Dorset Garden, the Opera called Prophetess or Dioclesian, at the request of a Nobleman; they will not tell us who, but we presume for the Entertainment of a very great Foreigner. Luttrell, A Brief Relation, III, 332: He [the Czar of Muscovy] is this night at the Playhouse incognito to see the Prophetesse acted