Event Comment: [Prince of Wales and Princess Amelia present.] Lord Hervey to Henry Fox, 2 Nov.: No place is full but the Opera; and Farinelli is so universally liked, that the crowds there are immense. By way of public spectacles this winter, there are no less than two Italian Operas, one French play house, and three English ones. Heidegger has computed the expense of these shows, and proves in black & white that the undertakers must receive seventy-six thousand odd hundred pounds to bear their charges, before they begin to become gainers. Ilchester, Lord Hervey and his Friends, p. 211

Event Comment: London Daily Post and General Advertiser, 30 Nov.: Last Night there was a Rehearsal of a new Opera before his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at his House in Pall-Mall, in which Farinelli and Senesino each of them perform'd a Part

Event Comment: Benefit Carlo Broschi Farinello. With several Alterations and Additions. Pit and Boxes, Places on the Stage, at Half a Guinea. N.B. Signor Farinello humbly hopes, that the Subscribers will not make use of their Tickets on this Occasion. The Stage will be in the same Manner as in the Assembly with a great Number of Benches. Mrs Pendarves to Mrs Granville, 15 March: Tonight is Farinelli's benefit; all the polite world will flock there, and go at four o'clock, for fear they should not be time enough. I don't love mobbing, and so I shall leave them to themselves. Daily Advertiser, 13 March: 'Tis expected that Signor Farinelli will have the greatest Appearance on Saturday that has been known. We hear that a Contrivance will be made to accommodate 2000 People. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has been pleas'd to give him 200 Guineas, the Spanish Ambassador 100, the Emperor's Ambassador 50, his Grace the Duke of Leeds 50, the Countess of Portmore 50, Lord Burlington 50, his Grace the Duke of Richmond 50, the Hon. Col. Paget 30, Lady Rich 20, and most of the other Nobility 50, 30 or 20 Guineas each; so that 'tis believ'd his Benefit will be worth to him upwards of 2000l

Event Comment: MMrs Pendarves, 27 Nov.: They [The king's] have Farinelli, Merighi, with no sound in her voice, but thundering action-a beauty with no other merit; and one Chimenti, a tolerable good woman with a pretty voice, and Montagnana, who roars as usual! With this band of singers, and dull Italian operas, such as you almost fall asleep at, they presume to rival Handel-who has Strada, that sings better than ever she did; Gizziello, who is much improved since last year; and Annabali, who has the best part of Senesino's voice and Caristini's, with a prodigious fine taste and good action! We have had Alcina, and Atalanta, which is acted tonight for the last night with the fireworks....Mrs Porter acts three times a week; I have made a party to go next week; she is the only support of the stage, the house is crammed whenever she acts.-Delany, Autobiography, I, 5578-79

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera in 2 acts [1st rime; author unknown]; the music by several eminent composers, under the direction of Bertoni. Books of the Opera [which are entitled Giunio Bruto], with an account of the new Dance, to be had at the Theatre. [Sga Macchierini was from the Opera, Cremona.] Public Advertiser, 14 Jan.: Pacchierotti sang "in a Stile the most superior--superior to any Singer heard in this country since Farinelli--superior to Pacchierotti himself!"