Event Comment: AAlexander by Mr Reddish-Very Bad (Hopkins Diary)

Event Comment: Benefit for Signora Galli. Composed by Handel. Signora Galli will sing the Part of Alexander, with all the original songs of Senesino. [As Senesino created this role in 1726, the piece performed tonight may be Handel's, not Lampugnani's; see kings, 15 Nov. 1743 and Deutsch, Handel, p. 647.

Event Comment: Mainpiece: An English Opera [from Rolt's The Royal Shepherd]. Never perform'd there. The Music selected from the best composers, and adapted by Tenducci. Books of Opera to be had at theatre. [Argument from Edition of 1769: Among the most celebrated actions ascribed to Alexander the Great, may be well ranked that of delivering the Kingdom of Sidon from the tyrant Strato; and instead of taking the dominion himself, restoring the crown to the next lawful heir, who, ignorant of his pretensions to it, lived as a shepherd in the country near Sidon, of which a more particular account may be found in Quintus Curtius, Book IV, Chap. 10. The superstructure of the fable raised on this historical foundation, will be seen in the course of the drama." The Plot sketched out in a review in the Freeholder's Magazine, Dec.] Receipts: #137 14s

Event Comment: TThe Freeholder's Magazine, Jan. (p. 247): A Card to the Managers of Covent Garden Theatre. A Citizen whose circumstances will not allow him often to attend Theatrical amusements, and who wishes to be entertained for his money, desires a nuisance may be removed which has totally deprived him of all satisfaction the few nights that he has been in the first gallery of your house. Of a cool evening the company within generally draw up the wooden shutters of the openings improperly called windows. An when the gentry without, who are admitted at half-price, find them shut, they begin a violent noise with their sticks, while those within as obstinately insist, that being in a violent heat, they will not let them down to the endangering their healths, by sudden letting in the cold air. Thus a riot is commenced, which frequently stops the play. It was the case in the Best Scene in the Orphan, the first night the Court of Alexander was performed. N.B. The orange girls shamefully encourage it. But the covetousness of the managers is the origin of the evil, by suffering intruders at half-price, after the inside of the gallery is completely filled. If this remonstrance fails, you may expect worse effects, from the injured parties. [See performance of 5 Jan.

Event Comment: Post Man, 24-26 Feb. 1697@8: London Feb. 26. On Thursday the Czar of Muscovy came privately with a small Retinue to Kensington, and I am told went afterwards to see the Play, the Rival Queens, or the Death of Alexander the Great

Event Comment: EEgmont, Diary, III, 5: I went at night to a public meeting of the vocal music club at the Crown Tavern, where the famous oratorio of Hendel, called 'The Feast of Alexander," was performed by the gentlemen of our club

Event Comment: A New Grand Serious Opera (1st time in this Country [1st performed at Parma, 1782]); the Music by Sarti [with additions by Federici]. With entirely new Scenes, Machinery and Decorations, designed by Marinari, and executed under his direction; and new Dresses, invented by Sestini. "The Opera...is founded upon the story of Dryden's Alexander's Feast, of which, indeed, it is merely a literal, and, of course, an elegant and tasteful translation into Italian by Count Gaston di Brizzonie [recte Rezzonico]

Event Comment: The United Company. The date of the first performance is not certain, but Luttrell acquired his copy of the separately-printed Prologue and Epilogue on 18 Aug. 1684. (Bindley Collection, William Andrews Clark@Jr@Library), and the play was probably first performed on that day or in the preceding week. The Prologue and Epilogue are reprinted in Wiley, Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 221-23. In the broadside the speaker of the Prologue is identified as Jevon. A sofg, Ah poor Oliver never boast, the verse by a Lady, and the music by R. King, is in A Collection of Twenty-Four Songs, 1685. Another, Damon if you wilt believe me, the verse by a Person of Quality and the music by Alexander Damascene, is in The Banquet of Musick, The Fifth Book, 1691. Two songs, Tell me no more I am deceived, the verse by Sir George Etherege and the music by J. B. Draghi, and Who can resist my Celia's charms, the music by J. B. Drahgi, and the verse by A Person of Quality, are in the printed play. This cast contains the last new role certainly assigned to John Wiltshire, who, according to (Cibber, Apology, ed. Lowe, I, 84-85), entered the army and was killed in action

Event Comment: The Queen's Birthday Ode, Come, Ye Sons of Art, the music by Henry Purcell, the author of the words not known; and Strike the Viol, sung by Alexander? Damascene, are in Gentleman's Journal, May 1694. See also Purcell's Works, Purcell Society, XXIV (1926), ii

Event Comment: Benefit for Master Alexander. By Authority. Tickets delivered for Jane Shore for 9 May will be taken