Event Comment: Opera: The Music by several eminent Masters [Giordani, Traetta, Hasse, Vento]; under the Direction of Giardini

Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe, altered from his The Banditti (see 28 Nov. 1781). Text in his Dramatic Works, Vol. 1 (T. Woodfall, 1798)]: With new Scenes [by Carver (O'Keeffe, u, 38)], Dresses, and a new Overture. The Selected Airs by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Giardini, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan, the Irish Bard. The Overture and New Airs composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [This was Sga Sestini's 1st appearance on the English-speaking stage. For several preceding seasons she had been a member of the Italian opera company performing at the King's.] "Sestini . . . was handsome, sprightly, and a good actress, if great exuberance of gesticulation, activity of motion, and affected Italian smorfie could make her one; but her voice was gritty and sharp (something like singing through a comb), and she was nothing of a singer, except for lively comic airs. Yet she was . . . long a favourite with the mass of the public, though not with the connoisseurs" (Mount-Edgcumbe, p. 33). Account-Book, 30 June 1783: Paid O'Keeffe in full for The Castle of Andalusia #368 18s. 6d. Receipts: #166 2s. 6d. (165/9/0; 0/13/6)

Event Comment: Benefit for Quick. Mainpiece: With (1st time) Alterations and Additions by the Author [John O'Keeffe]. The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected [music] by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan. The new additional Songs by Shield. Public Advertiser, 22 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Quick, Broad-court, Bow-street, Covent-garden. Receipts: #325 8s. 6d. (164.6.6; 3.19.0; tickets: 157.3.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Ryder. Public Advertiser, 20 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Ryder at his house, No. 5, Bow-street, Covent-garden. 1st piece: The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Giardini, Bertoni, Dr Arne, Carolan the Irish Bard. 2nd piece: 1st time Here. Translated from the French of La Bonne Mere, by Horatio Edgar? Robson, and at this Time reading with great success and general applause by LeTexier in Lisle-Street [and 1st acted at the hay, 22 Aug. 1788]. 3rd piece [1st time; F 2, by Thomas Ryder, altered from The Man of Parts, by Isaac Jackman; not published]. Receipts: #271 0s. 6d. (191.15.6; 5.7.0; tickets: 73.18.0)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: The Overture, Airs, &c. by Dr Arnold. The selected, by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan. [Afterpiece in place of Animal Magnetism, advertised on playbill of 21 Sept.] Receipts: #199 6s. 6d. (197.5.6; 2.1.0)

Event Comment: This date of performance is not a certainty; for the evidence, see Spencer, Shakespeare Improved, p. 94. Neither is Shadwell's authorship of the alterations a certainty, for the contributions of other playwrights have never been fully determined. (See Nicoll, Restoration Drama, p. 43.) The instrumental music was composed by Matthew Lock, with new vocal music by James? Hart and Pietro Reggio. See Songs Set by Signior Pietro Reggio, 1680. And differing versions of the second Prologue and the second Epilogue are in BM Egerton MS. 2623, ff. 54-55. Downes (Roscius Anglicanus, pp. 34-35): The Year after in 1673. The Tempest, or the Inchanted Island, made into an Opera by Mr Shadwell, having all New in it; as Scenes, Machines; particularly, one Scene Painted with Myriads of Ariel Spirits; and another flying away, with a Table Furnisht out with Fruits, Sweetmeats and all sorts of Viands; just when Duke Trinculo and his Companions, were going to Dinner; all things Perform'd in it so Admirably well, that not any succeeding Opera got more Money

Event Comment: London Gazette, No 2919, 30 Oct.-2 Nov. 1693. Whereas last Monday proving to be the Lord Mayors Day Signior Tosi could not play his Consort of Musick, but will do it this present Thursday the 2d instant, and the Thursday following; and afterwards on every Monday, in York-Buildings, during the Winter

Event Comment: Betterton's Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but the fact that the play was advertised in the Post Boy, 25-28 April 1696, suggests that it was acted not later than the period preceding Passion Week (6-11 April 1696). In addition, the large number of minor performers in the cast suggests a Lenten performance by the young actors. In Act I, Scene i, there is an Entertainment of Instrumental Musick, Compos'd by Signior Finger: Then a Song, set by Mr John Eccles, and Sung by Young La Roche. In III, iii: A Dialogue set by Seignior Baptist. The play is an adaptation of John Webster's Cure for a Cuckold. A Comparison Between the Two Stages (1702): The City Bride, by another Player, Damn'd

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 3250, 31 Dec. 1696-4 Jan. 1696@7: The Musick that was perform'd of St. Cecilia's Day, Composed by Signior Nicola, will be Performed on Thursday night in York Buildings, being the 7th Instant

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 3264, 18-22 Feb. 1696@7: On Wednesday next, being the 24th instant, will be performed at York Buildings, a New Song Set by Signior Baptist, for the Birth Day of Her Royal Highness the Princess, and by Her Royal Highness's Command

Event Comment: London Gazette, No. 3378, 24-28 March 1698: Next Monday, being the 28th Instant, will be performed in York Buildings, a new Consort of Musick by the chiefest Masters in England, where Signior Rampany, an Italian Musician belonging to the prince of Vaudemont, at the Request of several Persons of Quality, will for once sing in the same in Italian and French. Half a Guinea Entrance

Event Comment: Benefit Signior Francisco. At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Tickets 5s

Event Comment: At the Desire of several Persons of Quality. Afterpiece: With the Comical Interlude of Floro and Blesa set to Musick by the famous Signior Bononcini. [In Daily Courant, 15 March, the premiere of Hydaspes had been announced for this day.

Event Comment: Benefit Nicolino. With New Scenes and Cloaths, particularly the Scene with the Fountain. Pit and Boxes half a guinea. Stage Boxes 15s. Gallery 4s. At 6 p.m. Weekly Packet, 25 June: Signior Nicolini's Quail-Pipe continues to lug the Nobility and Gentry by the Ears, who have gone very far on his last Benefit-Night, towards equipping him for another purchase at Venice, he having already built a stately Edifice there, near the Rialto, upon which is written in Characters of Gold, Villa Britannica, as a Testimony that Scaliger's Saying, that we are Hospitibus Feri, is a downright Untruth, and falsly imputed to our Nation

Event Comment: [By Aaron Hill.] On Shakespear's Foundation. With several Sets of Scenes entirely new and properWto the Play. [In an advance notice in Daily Journal, 6 Nov., the scenes are reported to be designed by Signior Angelo, an Italian.

Event Comment: LLondon Journal, 17 Oct.: We hear there is a new Opera now in Practice...called, Tamerlane, the Musick composed by Mynheer Hendel, and that Signior Borseni, newly arriv'd from Italy, is to sing the Part of the Tyrant Bajazet. N.B. It is commonly reported this Gentleman was never cut out for a Singer

Event Comment: Composed by Signior Bononcini. Queen, Prince, and princesses present. [For a comment upon the entertainment, see The Craftsman, 12 August (partially reproduced in Deutsch, Handel, p. 295), and Daily Post, 9 June (also in Deutsch, Handel, pp. 293-94).

Event Comment: DDaily Post, 13 June: The Subscribers to the Opera in which Signior Senesino and Signora Cuzzoni are to perform [the Opera of the Nobility], are desired to meet at Mr Hickford's Great Room in Panton-street, on Friday next by Eleven o'Clock, in order to settle proper Methods for carrying on the Subscription

Event Comment: Compos'd by Signior Bononcini

Event Comment: A New Opera. [Text by Metastasio. Music by J. A. Hasse and R. Broschi.] Pit and Boxes by Tickets at a half guinea. Gallery 5s. 6 P.M. Daily Advertiser, 30 Oct.: All the Royal Family were at the Opera, when Signior Farinelli perform'd . . . with prodigious Applause. The Theatre was exceedingly crowded

Event Comment: A New Opera. [By Metastasio. Music by Francis Veracini. For a full account of this opera and opera in general, see Ilchester, Lord Hervey and his Friends, pp. 238-39.] Daily Advertiser, 26 Nov.: Their Majesties, his Royal Highness, and the Princesses [attended] Adriano, compos'd by the famous Signior Veracini, who perform'd the first Fiddle

Event Comment: Daily Advertiser, 15 Dec: The Opera of Adriano, now performing with great Applause, particularly for some fine Songs in it, compos'd for Signior Farinello, having been thought by the King to be rather too long, M. Veracini has shorten'd it, and his Majesty has declar'd his Intention of being present at it [Tuesday 16]. We hear, that after this Opera has had its run, there will be a new one call'd Mithridates, the Drama of which is wrote in English by Colley Cibber, Esq; Poet Laureat, and translated from thence into Italian

Event Comment: London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 6 May: Last Night the Opera of Ariodante was performed [at CG], in which Signior Gieacchino Conti Ghizziello made his first Appearance, and met with an uncommon Reception