Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. Gherardi, though very ill, yet being unwilling to disappoint the Nobility, Gentry and Public who intend honouring Sga Sestini with their presence at her Benefit this Evening, has undertaken to perform in the best manner he is able, and hopes for the indulgence of the Audience. Opera: The music composed by Paisiello

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Now 1st performed under the title of The Lady's Opera, with a new Introduction. [Miss Catley had acted Macheath at the Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, in the season 1764-65. MS of Introduction (consisting of a dialogue between A and B): Larpent MS 572.] Receipts: #171 18s. 6d. (170/9/0; 1/9/6)

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera [1st time; ser 2, by Giovanni de Gamerra]: the Music selected from the most eminent Composers [Sarti, Anfossi, Bertoni, Bianchi], under the direction of Bertoni. "The airs which Pacchierotti has chosen for himself have served to disclose in that excellent performer such powers as we had not yet discovered, uniting into one the delicate Soprano to the more majestic and manly strains of the most accomplished Contralto" (Public Advertiser, 23 Nov.)

Event Comment: [Me Rossi was from the Opera, Naples.] "Her very first step proclaimed her a perfect mistress in the art of pantomime. Her dress was a manteau a la reine, lately imported by our travelling milliners. The body, bones and trimming are puce, the sleeves and lower part of the garment a white gawze. Her partner, Lepicq, dressed in the same uniform, discovered such profusion of talents, if we may be allowed the expression, as 'beggar all praise'" (Public Advertiser, 3 Dec)

Event Comment: A New Comic Opera in 2 acts; The Music [by Lodovico Caruso] under the direction of Anfossi

Event Comment: An entirely new Comic Opera in 2 Acts [1st performed at Venice, 1776; and see 1 Feb. 1794]. The Music by Sarti; under the direction of Rauzzini. With new Scenes and Decorations, designed and painted by Novosielski

Event Comment: An entirely new Comic Opera, in 2 acts [by Girolamo Tonioli]; the Music entirely new, by Anfossi

Event Comment: On account of the sudden Indisposition of Sga Ferrarese the new Serious Opera [Demetrio, announced in Public Advertiser, 31 Dec. 1784] is unavoidably postponed [see 8 Jan.]. 2nd dance: With several new Airs composed by Barthelemon

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera (1st time [in London; 1st performed at Venice, 1780]); the Music by Anfossi

Event Comment: A Comic Opera, with Alterations and entirely new Airs composed by Anfossi

Event Comment: The last Time of performing this Season. [On 8 July Public Advertiser announces for 9 July I Viaggiatori Felici, by Command of Their Majesties, but on 9 July carries the statement, "There will be No Opera this Evening." The reason for the cancellation is not explained.]

Event Comment: A Comic Opera (1st time [in London; 1st performed at Venice, 1778]); the music entirely new by Salieri [with additions by Anfossi, Sacchini, Paisiello, Mazzoni, J. Mazzinghi]

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. A Comic Opera; the Music by Anfossi. Tickets, 10s. 6d. each, to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 38, Mount-street, Berkeleysquare

Event Comment: Benefit for Mme Mara. Tickets to be had of Mme Mara, No. 24, Henrietta-street, Cavendish-square. Opera: With the last Scene new

Event Comment: Benefit for Nix, Mrs Hedges & Miss Barnes. [As mainpiece the playbill announces The School for Scandal, but "Smith having an inflammation in his eyes, and Aickin being suddenly laid up with the gout, the play was obliged to be changed [to] The Beggar's Opera" (Morning Herald, 25 May).] Morning Chronicle, 22 May: Tickets to be had of Nix, No. 21, Crown-court, Little Russel-street, Covent Garden; of Mrs Hedges, No. 168, opposite New Bondstreet, Piccadilly; of Miss Barnes, at Cateman's, No. 52, Drury Lane. Receipts: #300 0s. 6d. (60/10/0; 19/13/6; 2/0/0; tickets: 217/17/0) (charge: #108 8s. 1d.)

Event Comment: A Serious Opera in 2 acts [1st time; by Carlo Francesco Badini]; the music entirely new by Venanzio Rauzzini. Receipts: #178 16s. 6d. [non-subscription]

Event Comment: [As mainpiece the playbill announces She Wou'd and She Wou'd Not, but "The Beggar's Opera being performed in lieu of She Wou'd and She Wou'd Not (because of Mrs Jordan's illness) was very well received." Reference is made to Dignum as Macheath and Mrs Crouch as Polly (Public Advertiser, 23 Oct.).] Receipts: #110 10s. 6d. [83.11.0; 26.3.0; 0.16.6)

Event Comment: "The orchestra, during the whole time of representations [of the opera] has by no means been conducted with that exactness that should be expected from that band...It must be supposed that neither the master of music at the harpsichord, nor Mr Cramer, the leader, have influence or power enough to prevail on the band to play, or rather, to accompany, more correctly...The arias of the tenor and base [sic] have been played, or rather accompanied, too fast, and without harmony with the voices of Morelli and Fineschi, which being good, and they seeming to wish to sing with all possible expression, the orchestra should have accompanied accordingly. Mme Storace, howefer, has baffled the efforts of the musicians to make her sing out of tune, quick or slow. As they fiddled, she modulated" (Public Advertiser, 17 Jan.). Receipts: #147 12s. 6d. [non-subscription]

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera, in 2 acts, never performed [in London; 1st performed at Rome, 1778, as L'Italiana in Londra]. The Music composed by Cimarosa, under the direction of Mazzinghi. Receipts: #84 11s. [non-subscription]

Event Comment: The Manager of the Opera, in conjunction with Noverre, the Ballet Master, esteem it their duty to request all persons who are not immediately interested in the performance of the new ballet of L'Amour et Psiche, to keep clear from the stage during the time of its representation, lest any accident should arise from the moving of the Machinery, from the flambeaux to be used therein, and from the opening of the Trap Doors, circumstances which must necessarily take place on the Practices and Representation of that ballet, and which they therefore think it incumbent on themselves to forewarn and caution the Public. "Noverre was unanimously called for on the stage to receive the applause and acclamations due to his merit...This, though common in France, was a new mark of approbation in England" (Burney,II, 901). Receipts: #146 1s. 6d. [non-subscription]

Event Comment: By Command of Their Majesties. A Comic Opera, composed by Paisiello; under the direction of Storace. Receipts: #386 6s. 6d. [non-subscription]