Event Comment: The
United Company. The date of the first performance is not known, but
Luttrell's copy of the separately printed
Prologue and
Epilogue bears the date 12 Nov. 1683 (item 87,
Sotheby's sale, 12 June 1939), and the premiere probably occurred shortly before that date. A revised version of the Epilogue, correcting errors, appeared almost immediately after the one first published; it bears Luttrell's date of 14 Nov. 1683. The Epilogue, in the revised version, bears the note: Written by
Mr Dryden. The Prologue and both versions of the Epilogue are reprinted in
Wiley,
Rare Prologues and Epilogues, pp. 183-87. In addition, a song,
Awake O Constantine awake, with music by
Thomas Farmer, is in
The Theater of Music, 1865; it also appeared in
A Collection of the Newest and Choicest Songs, 1864 (which bears Luttrell's date, 10 March 1683@4,
Bindley Collection,
William Andrews Clark@Jr@Library)
Performances
Mainpiece Title: Constantine The Great