Event Comment: NNeville MS Diary: Went to ye Pit to see ye Beggar's Opera-oblig'd to stand till ye play was over-Read some parts of ye Opera which I borrowed at Davies's, before it began and between the acts. Barry is a good Macheath, but most persons who have seen him when young observe that he has not ye activity and fire he then had. He sings tolerably as does Mrs Dancer; but both are greatest in ye acting part. Mrs D. is ye best Polly I ever saw, having that sensibility which your mere singing Pollys generally want. Mrs Mahon did Lucy with great ease and propriety, and has a good deal of expression in her countenance. Thomson has a force and mellowness of voice very suitable to ye character of Lockit. I do not think Weston excels in Filch. Shuter raised vast applause by adding, after Trapes has said "done under the Surgeon's hand'--"Oh dreadful and in such weather too!" Bannister in Mat added--"Die hard"--and Palmer in Budge--"Die game--" the Fing., of Act 3 a New Hornpipe, and at ye end of ye Opera the H. Peasant by $Miss Froment">Mrs Gardner's pretending to get drunk in Mrs Slam is new. We had at ye end of Act 2 the Fing., of Act 3 a New Hornpipe, and at ye end of ye Opera the H. Peasant by $Miss Froment, with Duke and No Duke-of which I am tired

Event Comment: A New Serious Pastoral Opera. Music entirely new composed by Pugnani

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera; the Music by Gassmann; under the Direction of Giordani

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera [1st time; SER 3, by Pietro Metastasio; a pasticcio]. The Music by Bertoni and other eminent Masters [Myslivecek, Monza, Sarti]. 'Pacchierotti, who on this night made his 1st appearance in London, was] conscious that the chief delight of singing, and his own supreme excellence, lay in touching expression, and exquisite pathos...As an actor, with many disadvantages of person, for he was tall and awkward in his figure, and his features were plain, he was nevertheless forcible and impressive: for he felt warmly, had excellent judgment, and was an enthusiast in his profession. His recitative was inimitably fine, so that even those who did not understand the language could not fail to comprehend, from his countenance, voice, and action, every sentiment he expressed" (Mount-Edgcumbe, pp.24-25)

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera; the Music by the celebrated Gretry

Event Comment: A new Serious Opera, with Grand Chorusses; the Music entirely new by Bertoni

Event Comment: Benefit for Lepicq. Tickets, half a guinea each, to be had of Lepicq, No. 33, Pall-mall. "On machinery at this Theatre the less stress is laid the better. The boat, of which, had it been good, there was too much use, was very far from good. The representation of Lepicq swimming transgressed as little the commandment. And as to the ascent of Lepicq in the bucket, that was so badly managed as to put us in heart-felt trepidation . . . The Rivali Delusi was cut very properly by omitting the under singers' airs; yet the curtain did not drop till midnight" (Public Advertiser, 16 Apr.)

Event Comment: A Serious Opera in 2 acts; the music entirely by Handel, and selected from the various Operas set by that admirable composer, under the direction of [i.e. arranged and added to by] Dr Arnold. Benefit for Carnevale, deputy manager. No receipts listed. "In order to induce the king to visit the theatre called his own [see 17 Mar.], but which he seldom frequented, the Giulio Cesare of Handel was revived, or rather a medley from his Italian works, for little of the original music was retained, and many of his most favorite songs from other operas were introduced, Verdi prati [from Alcina], Dove sei [from Rodelinda], Rendi sereno il ciglio [from Sosarme], and others. This ancient music was particularly suited to Rubinelli, and was familiar to Mara, both of whom sung it incomparably well" (Mount-Edgcumbe, 61)

Event Comment: 1st piece: A Comic Opera in 1 Act [and see 1 Apr.); the music by Cimarosa. 2nd piece: A new Grand Tragi-Comic Opera; the music by Gazzaniga, [with additions by) Federici, Sarti, Guglielmi; under the direction of Federici. In the course of the Opera a Grand Funeral Procession, according to the ancient customs of Spain, consisting of upwards of 100 persons. The music of both dances by Miller. With entire new Dresses, Scenery, and Decorations. [And see 4 Mar.) Loewenberg, 442: Leporello's "Catalogue Song" from Mozart's Don Giovanni was included in this version of the

Event Comment: Benefit for Viganoni. Tickets to be had of Viganoni, No. 131, Pall-mall. [Opera with a new translation by Lorenzo DaPonte of Marmontel's original libretto (Loewenberg, p. 322).

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: Rich's Company. There is no certainly as to whether this performance is the premiere. Because the play was not published until 1715, the cast for the first performance is not known. Lady Morley attended this performance. Hotson, Commonwealth and Restoration Stage, p. 377: Lady Morley and one in the Box att Country House 8s

Event Comment: Benefit Stephens. Tickets at Stephen's House, Paternoster Row

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 16 Years. [See 27 Dec. 1746.] Benefit for Shuter. Receipts: #173 16s. 6d. Tickets #150 13s. (boxes 272; pit 551). Charges: #63 (Account Book), [#325 9s. 6d. marks the largest house in money value this season. Shuter advertised his benefit early, then on 28 March inserted this puff in the Public Advertiser: [Mrs Centlivre's Comedies have a vein of pleasantry in them that will always be relish'd. She knew the Genius of this nation, and she wrote up to the spirit of it; her Bold Stroke for a Wife, was a masterpiece that much increased her reputation: it establish'd that of Kit Bullock, a smart sprightly actor. His performance of Col. Feignwell was greatly applauded. Shuter has judiciously chosen to play to at his own benefit, and everyone that knows his powers, knows he will play it at least with drollery and justice equal to him."

Event Comment: Not acted in 5 years. [See 4 Feb. 1758.] The Drummer was revived at this period at both theatres...to take advantage of the reigning weakness of the people, who went in crowds many days and nights to an Haunted House, by what was called the Cock-Lane Ghost-a delusion set on foot, and very ingeniously carried on by a girl of 12 years of age, daughter of a clerk of St Sepulchre's Church, who resided in Cock Lane near Smithfield. [The Ghost was supposed to be that of one Fanny, a gentleman's mistress buried in the church. By knockings and scratchings she supposedly haunted the girl intimating foul practices concerning her death.] It would be incredible to relate the numbers of persons of distinction that attended this delusion! many of whom treated it as a serious and most important affair...at last the girl's father and three or four others were tried in the King's Bench, found guilty' Pillioried and imprisoned. This most effectively laid the Ghost; and is the best and properest cure for every ghost that may arise hereafter. (Victor, History of the Theatres, III, 18 ff). [The theme exploited again by Garrick in The Farmer's Return from London, dl 20 March.

Event Comment: Paid half year's Land Tax for theatre due Mich. last: #61 5s.; half year's window lights for ditto: #6 10s. 6d.; half year's land tax for House in Bow Passage: #2 3s. 9d., and window lights for same 15s.; Paid Stubbs (timber merchant) as per bill #50; Paid Evans (sawyer) #9 5s. (Account Book). Receipts: #240 9s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: Paid Messrs. Raban & Kime (coal merchants) #56 15s.; Paid Sarjant half aear's rent for the House in Bow Passage due Mich. last #20 (Account Book). Receipts: #195 3s. 6d. (Account Book)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Miss Farren, "but on account of the sudden indisposition of Miss Farren her part in the play was read by Mrs Ward, who gave it with great effect, and having studied Miss Farren's manner, was a very tolerable substitute" (Diary, 2 May).] Afterpiece [1st time; C 3, by John Philip Kemble]: Taken from [The Country Lasses; or] The Custom of the Manor [by Charles Johnson]. Diary, 6 May 1789: This Day is published The Farm House (1s.). And see 6 May. Receipts: #165 3s. (125.12.0; 34.18.6; 4.12.6)

Event Comment: An accurate Edition of The Farm House to be had at the Theatre. Receipts: #98 16s. (55.4.0; 39.19.6; 3.12.6)

Event Comment: Benefit Laguerre and Mrs Laguerre. Mainpiece: Written by the late Sir John Vanbrugh. Afterpiece: [By John Hippisley.] Being the Farce of the Country-Wake, alter'd after the Manner of The Beggar's Opera. N.B. Printed Books...are to be had at the Theatre under the Title of Flora, an Opera. Receipts: money #29 10s. 6d.; tickets #84 9s

Event Comment: Benefit Pullen and Mrs Pullen. Afterpiece: a Ballad Opera of Three Acts. [Author unknown.] This Opera, relating to the Affair of Father Girard with Miss Cadiere, &c. is entirely new, being a faithful Translation from the French Original, as it was forbid in Paris

Event Comment: Benefit Fenn (Stage Door-Keeper), Bishop (Gallery Keeper), Steele, Heath, Kisheir, Hussey. Being the last time of acting the mainpiece this season