Event Comment: Set to Musick by Signor Nicola Porpora. With several Additions

Event Comment: Benefit Signor Arrigoni. 7 P.M. Tickets half a guinea

Event Comment: A new Opera. Edition of 1740 Composed by Signor Pescetti. A new Scene by M delaCour. By His Majesty's Command

Event Comment: Masque: By Particular Desire. The Gentlemen's Magazine for Jan. 1742 (p. 28) in an article On Two Italian Dancers comments rather fully on the Fausans' performance in Le Boufon; or the Idiot: My expectation was rais'd to the height but at their entrance on the stage, they alarm'd me by the inexpressive Agility and descriptive Action, Look and Motion, which were all performed With such mimic Variety, that I defy the most severe Cynic to say that they wou'd not at least raise in him an agreeable surprise, to see all the attitudes, Oddities and mock Gesticulations of the two Idiots, who may be suppos'd to be in Love with one another. It is not any distortion of Body or unnatural transposition of the limbs which they exhibit to the view, but the extravagant Idiotry which the passions of Love, Disdain, Joy, Resentment, would on a real occasion actuate on the personages they represent: Nor do they so manage their Dance that it is ungraceful: they take opportunities to show by actions and movements, that in their comic Humour they have an elegancy. This performance therefore, on Reflection, appear'd to me, instead of an unnatural extravaganza to be founded on the nicest Observations of Human Nature, and prove Signor and Signora to be persons of good judgment, as well as agility. Receipts: #80

Event Comment: A new Oratorio, set to music by Signor Veracini

Event Comment: A New Opera...Written by Metastasio and set to Musick by Signor Hasse

Event Comment: Benefit Signor Reginelli

Event Comment: A new Opera written by Metastasio and the Musick compos'd originally by Signor Hasse. [First time performed in England.

Event Comment: By Subscription. A Burletta, or Comic Opera...being the first of this Species of Musical Drama ever exhibited in England. [But see Burney, II, 248, on both cast and music.] Pit and Boxes Half a guinea. Gallery 5s. To begin at 6 p.m. Last Wednesday arrived in London, from Italy, Signor Croza, with his New Company of Italian Performers, who are to entertain the Town the approaching Season, at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, with Operas of a new kind, call'd Burlettas (General Advertiser, 23 Sept.)

Event Comment: Benefit Signor Laschi, with Comic Interludes between the Acts, called La Serva Padrona. The music composed by Sig Gio. Batista Pergolesi

Event Comment: Benefit Signor Antonio Ambrosia, Operator on the Cremona Staccato, vulgarly call'd the Salt-Box. Tickets delivered for 5 March will be taken. Prices, Boxes 4s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. [The fifteenth night.

Event Comment: Benefit for Signor Maranesi and Miss Hilliard

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Passerini. [From charges and countercharges published in great length in the Public Advertiser, it appears that Sga Frasi had earlier arranged to produce Samson at the King's on this night for her benefit. Learning that the subscribers to the opera season could enter on their own tickets on this night she decided to change nights to avoid any losses, only to find that her singers were engaged at one theatre or another on other nights. Meanwhile, Signor Passerini got permission to have this night scheduled at King's for his wife's benefit, and Sga Frasi lost out all around. Passerini asserted that the charge for renting the Great Room, Dean St. Soho was 5 guineas for a night.

Event Comment: MMr Barbaut's Second Subscription Oratorio, taken from the First Book of Milton's Paradise Regained and set to music by Mr Charles Barbant in two parts with a solo upon the Violin by Signor Marella; a solo upon the German Flute by Mr Tacet; a Concerto on the Lute by Mr Servi?; a Hautboy concert by Mr Barbant; and an organ concerto ditto; and a Great Concerto with Clarinets, French Horns and Kettle-Drums, composed by Mr Barbant. Boxes and Pit put together at Half a Guinea each, Gallery 3s. Tickets to be had at Mr Barbant's, at Mr White's in Marshall St., Carnaby-Market; and at Mr Browne's Stationer [sic], facing the Opera House, Haymarket. To begin at half an Hour after six. N.B. the Books of the Oratorios stitched in Blue Paper at 1s. each are sold at Mrs Browne's [sic] in the Haymarket, and at the House on the night of the performance

Event Comment: A New Opera. Musick composed by Signor Hasse. Application by Regina Mingotti, Manager of ye Operas (Larpent MS)

Event Comment: Dance by Signor Grimaldi (Cross). Receipts: #170 (Cross); #154 12s. (Winston MS 8)

Event Comment: A new opera. [Edition of 1758: Musick by Signor Galuppi and directed by Gioacchino Cocchi.] Pit and Boxes together at half a guinea. Gallery 5s. By His Majesty's Command, No Persons whatsoever to be admitted behind the Scenes. 6:30 p.m. [For an additional five guineas, subscribers may secure 15 pit tickets, good on Tuesday.

Event Comment: [Sga Mattei announced her undertaking direction of Italian Serious Operas and Burlettas for the ensuing winter, promised the performance of them for the best advantage of the public, and listed the members of the company she had engaged: For Serious Operas: herself, Philippo Elisi (the first singer in Italy), Gaetano Quilice (tenor), Angiola Calori (second woman), Giovanni Sorbelloni (second man), and a new singer for the lowest character. For the Burlettas: Sga Paganini (the first female character and the foremost in Italy), Gaetano Quilice (the first man), Sga Eleardi (second woman), Paganini (second man), Signor N. N. (third man), Angiola Calori and Sorbelloni (to perform the serious parts in the Burlettas). Dancers: Mlle Asselin (first woman dancer), Gheradi (first dancer of the men, and ballet master), famed both in the serious and comic as well as for his invention as for exercises in dancing. There will also be other comic dancers, and figures both for the serious operas and burlettas.

Event Comment: A Burletta, Benefit for Sg & Sga Paganini, [Who] being desirous of returning to Italy...take this Opportunity to express their most grateful Sense of the many Favours with which they have been honoured in this Kingdom; and being willing that the Necessitous should share in that Bounty which they owe more to the Generosity of the English Nation than to their own Merits, they have allotted a fourth part of the Profits which may arise from the above Burletta (free from all Expense whatever) towards the carrying on and extending the Utility of the Asylum or House of Refuge for Female Orphans...and another Part of the aforesaid Profits will be given towards relieving old Signor Cataneo, who, during forty Years was useful to the Operas, but is now in extreme Distress; and the Manager, who is at the Expence of this Benefit, has chearfully consented to the Disposition here mentioned. As it is intended to apply the whole Profits which may arise from letting out the Servants Gallery [at 2s. 6d. each person] for the Benefit of the Asylum, over and above what was before alloted to it, 'tis humbly hoped that the Nobility, Gentry, etc. will not take it amiss if their Servants are not admitted that Night, as has been the Practice at this Theatre on Occasions of Charity. Tickets will delivered out for this Benefit, this day at the Opera Office, and signed by Mr Crawford, and all Monies given for Tickets above their usual Price, is to be shared in the Charity abovementioned. Tickets delivered for 23 March will be taken

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera. The Music composed by several celebrated Composers. All Boxes put together, and no Persons admitted without Tickets, which will be delivered this Day at the Office at Half a Guinea each; First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. By His Majesties Command no Person whatsoever to be admitted behind the Scenes or into the Orchestra. 6:30 p.m. Vivant Rex et Regina. [Repeated in all bills.] [A pasticchio similar to La Schiava (The Humorists). See Nicoll, III, 361. Advertisement for the company of performers at the Opera had been given in the Public Advertiser three months earlier, 6 August: 'Drummond, Vincent and Gordon,Proprietors and Managers of the Opera at the King's Theatre in the Haymarket beg leave to announce that they have engaged the best Company that could be got in Italy...and are expected in London this month. The company are as follows: Serious-the celebrated Guarducci, first man; Signora Aunuciati, first woman; Savoi, second man; Miss Young, second woman; Grassi, Signora Piatti, third woman. Comic-Lovattini, first man, tenor; Signora Zamperini, first woman; Savoi, first man, serious; Miss Young, first woman; Signor Moriggi (the old man) bass; Signora Piatti, second woman; Zamperini second man; Signora Gibbetti [Gibelli in the Gazetteer] third woman."

Event Comment: The First Night of the Subscription. A new comic opera composed by Signor Buranello. Pit and Boxes together, and no Persons admitted without Tickets, which will be deliver'd this Day at the Office, at 10s. 6d. First Gallery 5s. Second Gallery 3s. The Gallery, Pit and Boxes will be open'd at Five. By their Majesties Command no persons whatsoever to be admitted behind the Scenes or into the Orchestra. 6:30 p.m. Vivant Rex et Regina. [Repeated in the bills.] The Subscription is for 50 Nights only

Event Comment: [Indisposition of a principal performer postpones Il Signor Dottore.

Event Comment: Music by Signor Galluppi

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never Performed There. On account of the Additional Airs, contracted into 3 Acts. [Public Advertiser, 30 Dec., notes that the principal omission was the conspiracy of Alonzo, Antonio, &c., and that the Masque in Act IV was removed to the concluding scene of the play.] With New Dresses, Scenery and Decorations. The Music by Purcell, John Christopher? Smith, Dr Arne and Fisher. [In afterpiece the playbill retains Delpini as Pierrot, but "[Hull] made an apology for the illness of Delpini, telling the audience that the Signor had hurt himself so much the preceding evening in performing the part of Pierrot that he could not come out of his room; the managers therefore hoped that the audience would accept of Wewitzer in the character" (Morning Chronicle, 28 Dec.). The playbill also adds Wewitzer as the Gardener; this part was perhaps omitted.] Paid Enderby, Oil Merchant, #258 17s. Receipts: #245 18s. (244.15; 1.3)