Event Comment: Mainpiece [1st time; CO 3, by John O'Keeffe, altered from his The Banditti (see 28 Nov. 1781). Text in his Dramatic Works, Vol. 1 (T. Woodfall, 1798)]: With new Scenes [by Carver (O'Keeffe, u, 38)], Dresses, and a new Overture. The Selected Airs by Handel, Vento, Giordani, Giardini, Bertoni, Dr Arne, and Carolan, the Irish Bard. The Overture and New Airs composed by Dr Arnold. Books of the Songs to be had at the Theatre. [This was Sga Sestini's 1st appearance on the English-speaking stage. For several preceding seasons she had been a member of the Italian opera company performing at the King's.] "Sestini . . . was handsome, sprightly, and a good actress, if great exuberance of gesticulation, activity of motion, and affected Italian smorfie could make her one; but her voice was gritty and sharp (something like singing through a comb), and she was nothing of a singer, except for lively comic airs. Yet she was . . . long a favourite with the mass of the public, though not with the connoisseurs" (Mount-Edgcumbe, p. 33). Account-Book, 30 June 1783: Paid O'Keeffe in full for The Castle of Andalusia #368 18s. 6d. Receipts: #166 2s. 6d. (165/9/0; 0/13/6)

Event Comment: [In mainpiece the playbill retains Sga Sestini, but "Previous to the Opera, Mattocks apologized for the sudden illness of Sestini; Mrs Martyr would, on a Notice of two Hours, attempt to read the Part" (.Public Advertiser, 9 Nov.). On 9 Nov. Sga Sestini gave birth to a son Qbid., 11 Nov.).] Receipts: #185 18s. 6d. (184/15/6; 1/3/0)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. Public Advertiser, 9 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 16, Upper Seymour-street, Portman Square. Receipts: #307 2s. (212/3; tickets: 94/19) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. Morning Herald, 9 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 36, Mount-street, Grosvenor Square

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. Public Advertiser, 2 Aug.: Tickets to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 34, Mount-street, Grosvernor-square

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Never acted here. [Sga Sestini was from CG.] 1

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini [who had 1st acted Phebe at CG on 13 Mar. and 10 May 1784]. Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. Afterpiece: Never perform'd here

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini

Event Comment: Sga Giuliani being very much indisposed, the Comic Opera is unavoidably obliged to be substituted for Il Disertore [advertised in World, 1 May]

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. Tickets to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 8, Great Suffolk-street, Charing-cross

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. Opera: Not acted these 3 years [acted 26 June 1788]. A Comic Opera; the Music by Paisiello. Under the direction of Federici. Tickets, 10s. 6d. each, to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 17, Mount-street, Berkley-square

Event Comment: Benefit for Sga Sestini. A Comic Opera, not acted these 7 years [acted 28 Apr. 1785]; the Music by Piccinni, under the direction of Mazzinghi. Tickets, 10s. 6d., to be had of Sga Sestini, No. 15, Mount-street, Berkeley-square

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera; the music by Paisiello. Under the direction of Storace. [Sga Storace was from the Opera, Vienna.] Morelli "was an actor such as the Italian stage has seldom witnessed. He was, I used to think, in his prime, quite upon a par with King of Drury Lane Theatre. Like him, he was distinguished for neat articulation, and an unremitting attention to the business of the whole stage" (Boaden, Kemble, I, 449). Receipts: #165 19s. 6d. [non-subscription]

Event Comment: A new Comic Opera (never performed [in London; 1st performed at Florence, 1778]); the Music by Gazzaniga [with additions by Storace, Posi, Trachi (World, 11 May)], under the direction of Mazzinghi. At the London production of La Vendemmia, the duet (Count-Susanna) Crudel perche finora from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro was sung by Benucci and Anna Storace; probably the first piece of any Mozart opera which was heard on the London stage" (Loewenberg, 364). [In June 1789 it was published by Birchall and Andrews, as "A favorite duett...sung in...La Vendemmia...by Sg Benucci and Sga Storace". See Illustration

Event Comment: A New Comic Opera. Music By Gazaniga, a Neopolitan Master. Benefit for Signora Sestini