Event Comment: Benefit ye Masters & Mrs Graham shar'd (Cross). Last time of performing the Mainpiece this season. Receipts: #160 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Haughton--masters share (Cross). Full Prices. That there may be no Obstruction in the Machinery, there will be no building on the stage. Tickets of Miss Haughton, in Chandois St., and at Stage Door. Receipts: #100 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Passerini. Pit and Boxes half a Guinea. Gallery 5s. The Overture and some songs composed by his Majesty the King of Prussia. The Remaining songs by the best masters as Quantz, Nichelman, Benda. The Duet and chorus-Graun, chief composer of the court, poetry-Villati. The afterpiece "an Italian Pastoral.

Event Comment: Benfit for Master Moor, Berrisford, Palmer, Broad (Cross). Mainpiece: Not acted this season. Receipts: #260 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Old Cole [William Cole] Citizen of London and Family, under Misfortunes, who has been a Free Mason these thirty years, and Master of several Lodges. Being the last time of performing till the Christmas Holidays

Event Comment: Notice is hereby given, that the Annual Feast of the Shakespeare Society will be held on Wed. 2nd of March next, at the Shakespeare's Head Tavern in Covent Garden; and that tickets are left with the Master of that House to be disposed of to the Gentlemen who subscribed for Tickets for the last Feast, and who are to call for them at any time within thirty days from the date thereof. Such tickets as are not in that time called for will be delivered to the Stewards to be otherwise disposed of. The person's name to whom a Ticket is deliver'd will be endors'd thereon, and no other person can be admitted thereby. E. B. Secretary (Public Advertiser)

Event Comment: Written by Mr Hume. Author of Douglas. Went off wth. great Applause (Cross). A New Tragedy. The Music composed by Dr Boyce. As this is the 1st night of representation, and much depends upon keeping the scenes clear, 'tis hoped no gentleman will be offended that he cannot be admitted upon the stage or into the orchestra. [See Theatrical Review, 1757 and Beginning of 1758 for contemporary comment on source, and at act-by-act progress of play. Judicial but appreciative. Finds some rant and bombast, as well as inconsistency, in Lysander 's characterization: "If...not...known that the author of Agis is the same to whom we are indebted for Douglas, one would not have suspected those two tragedies to have sprung from the same pen...Agis inspires us with admonition; Douglas speaks forcibly to our softer feelings. In Douglas he has shown himself perfect master of nature and the human heart: in Agis of contrivance in point of plot and incidents. What a masterpiece may not we expect from such talents when united in one tragedy!"] Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for Leviez [Ballet-Master]. Tickets of Leviez at the last House on the right hand in Bedford Buildings in the Strand, and of Varney at the Stage Door, where places may be taken. Receipts: #180 (Cross)

Event Comment: TThe London Chronicle for 1758 (p. 455): On Friday the 3rd instant was presented Coriolanus. The two first acts of this play, as it is performed at the above theatre, were written by Shakespear; the three last for the most part by Mr. Thomson. But how a man of Mr Sheridan's knowledge (who first introduc'd it there about four years ago) could think of pounding into one substance two things so heterogeneous in their natures as the productions of those authors, is to me amazing. Mr Smith enters in the first act, after having (as we are to suppose) just overcome the Volsci, to the tune of violins and hautboys; but I am a little afraid the grandeur of his triumph is a little misapplied, considering the early times in which Coriolanus lived, before the Roman empire had arrived to any degree of splendor and magnificence, and was great in virtue only. However it makes a fine show; and Mr Smith, who has an excellent person, by the help of a little burnt cork and a real coat of mail cuts a very martial appearance. I think it was one of the Gracchi, who, when he was speaking to the people, always had a servant behind him in the Rostrum with a pitch-pipe which he touched whenever he found his master's voice rising beyond a certain height; such an instrument as this would, in my opinion, be of service to Mr Smith, for his fault seems to be that of keeping too much at the top of his vioce. Mrs Hamilton in the part of Veturai, especially in the last act, excells herself; and in particular, she repeats that line: "He never can be lost who saves his country," with the genuine spirit of a free-born Englishman. By the unnatural conjunction which is attempted to be made in this tragedy, most of the other characters are robbed of their significance. Those two excellent actors, therefore, Ryan and Sparks, only give us just cause to regret that the parts of Tullus and Volscius are not longer....After the play was presented a Ballad Opera called The Contrivances; in which some good comedians are oblig'd to submit to the drudgery of supporting as contemptible a trifle as ever was acted on the stage

Event Comment: A New Opera. Music by Perez (Public Advertiser), by several Masters (edition of 1760)

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 new serious Opera [a pasticcio]. Music by different Masters. To begin at 6 p.m. on account of the Prologue. [Note: The 1760 Libretto at Library of Congress designates the "Musical Prologue sung by Signora Mattei" on 22 Nov. The prologue consists of recitative and a brief air of two quatrains.

Event Comment: Benefit for Leviez, Ballet Master

Event Comment: Young Gentlewoman-Miss E. Miller, marryed since to Mr Thomas Baker, an actor of cg, and a singing master. Mrs Baker is at present separated from her husband (1792) and performs only at Sadler's Wells in Pantomimes &c! Qu: Count Haslang and Mrs Baker (Hopkins MS Notes). Income from Boxes #27 2s. 6d. Nightly expense as usual #32 16s. 11d. Receipts: #74 7s. 6d. (Winston Theatrical Record)

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. John Rich, Master & Patentee of Covent Garden Theatre died (Winston MS 9)

Event Comment: JJohn Rich Esq, Master and Patentee of the TRCG, died Thursday 26 Nov. 1761, about six o'clock in the evening, at his house adjoining to the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, in the seventieth year of his age. Mrs Priscilla Rich sole executrix of the Will of John Rich Esq, deceas'd. Mr John Rich was buried in Hillingdon Churchyard. (See his Epitaph, Lysons's Middlesex Parishes, p. 162) Dec. 4, 1761. ibid p. 173 (Hopkins MS Notes). Income from Boxes #85 5s. Rec'd of John Condill on acct of Fruit #20. Expenses #46 3s. 8d. [The balance brought forward to this date for this season was #2007 9s. 1d. From this was subtracted the #1291 19s. 4d. necessary for starting the season (see 9 Sept.), which left Beard a favorable balance of #715 9s. 9d. with which to carry on. The Winston Theatrical Record ceases on this date.

Event Comment: Both pieces By Command of Their Majesties. Sga Manesiere lived with Mr Fisher, Ballet Master at cg, who marryed her in her last illness. N.B. She had some Property. This Lady was a pattern of neatness and exterior modesty (Hopkins MS Notes)

Event Comment: Benefit for Leviez, ballet master. Full Prices. Afterpiece: By Desire. The Farmer, for last time this season

Event Comment: Afterpiece: A pastoral never performed on any Stage, Words set to the music of eminent masters. Books of the Pastoral to be sold at the Theatre. [See Theatrical Review; or, Annals of the Drama, 1763, pp. 20-22.

Event Comment: [Puff for the afterpiece]: As this Pastoral was not originally designed for the theatre, it is thought proper to give the public some account of it, and by what means it has now found its way to the stage. The Chorusses and Airs were selected from Mr Handel, and several other eminent masters, by a gentleman whose taste and knowledge in music is perhaps his least merit. Having conceived the design of a musical entertainment of this miscellaneous nature he found himself oblig'd...to connect them [the airs] by a Recitative of his own composition: This naturally produced a kind of a little drama, and the ease and elegance of the whole is the more to be admired when it is considered that the words were of necessity composed in perfect subservience to the music. The piece has been several times performed at Salisbury and greatly admired by many of the first Rank. The author, upon Mr Norris being engaged at the theatre, was applied to for leave to bring it on the stage, to which he has most obligingly given his consent. [Cast given] After an agreeable Overture, the curtain rises and discovers a rural scene, and a troop of nymphs and shepherds assembled to celebrate the Spring. Their rejoicings open with a grand cheerful chorus. We cannot say enough of the taste and execution of Mr Vernon and Miss Young in this scene. The united sprightliness and simplicity of the duet was truly admirable. [Song given, followed by a brief description of the parting of the shepherds, the announcement of Peace so they won't have to part, and special commendation for the various songs of Mr Vincent, and Mr Norris.] We will venture to prophesy that it will be more and more admired at every representation; though perhaps it may not fall in with the Taste of the Groundlings, who, like Polonius, are for a Jig or a Tale of Bawdry, or they sleep (Public Advertiser)