May 11
A FAIR ENQUIRY Into the STATE of OPERAS IN ENGLAND. [rule] [ornaments] [double rule] LONDON: Printed for M. COOPER, at the Globe, in Pater-Noster-Row. Price 6d. [2: blank] [3] [double rule] A FAIR ENQUIRY INTO THE State of OPERAS In ENGLAND. IT has been thought a Taste for Italian Musick was not general enough in our Country to support the Expence of an Opera; and this Entertainment, after many Struggles, seems now sinking into absolute Decay from the Prevalence of that Opinion. ’TIS a Question yet to be decided, whether this be really the Case or not: and the present Time calls particularly for such an Explanation. This Entertainment stands [4] now upon the Verge of a Precipice: and it must be a tender, as well as resolute Hand, that is stretch’d out to save it. ’TIS certain the Opera deserves some Regard, as it is the Entertainment of the highest Ranks; and as it gives a Variety among other polite Amusements. If it be true, as has been pretended, that the Produce of the best Seasons does not defray the Charge, it will be in vain to think of restoring it in England; but if it shall appear on the contrary, that the Receits [sic] of moderate Houses, are more than equal to the Expence of the very best Operas, there will need only to explain and ascertain this to the Nobility, who have always been their Support, to the fixing them upon a secure and lasting Foundation. THE determining this Point is the Purpose of the present Enquiry; and the Author apprehends he shall be able to shew, that the Money received for Operas would have supported them elegantly at all Times; but that a great Part of it has fallen into the Hands of Persons who contributed nothing to the Entertainment; and that a Number of unnecessary Officers of the House, have [5] been enrich’d, while the Performers starved. This has been always the Case; it has been long a Complaint; and ’tis fit that at length it should be known. WHOSOEVER undertakes Operas enriches the Proprietors of the House, Cloaths and Scenes; but the Restraints and hard Conditions under which they are let, render it nearly impossible any body else should be Gainers. WHILE the Nobility were pleased to honour the Operas with their Direction, the Representations were elegant in the highest Degree; and but for this unseen and unnecessary Charge, they would have found at that Time, a lasting Establishment. THE Performers were proud to receive the Commands of their Patrons; and those honourable Persons had no Views but for the Improvement of the Entertainment: they had Spirit to procure whatsoever was excellent; and Taste to distinguish where Excellencies lay. WHILE the Opera was under this Regulation, every thing was elegant; every thing answered, and exceeded the [6] Expectation, except the Ballance of the Account. Those who managed became Loosers [sic]; but all the while the Receits [sic] of the House were much more than equal to the necessary Expence. Yet to this we are to attribute the Decline of Operas in Britain: The Noblemen were perfect Judges of what was worthy of their Audience, but they were kept in the dark as to the real Profits. They did not condescend to look into the innumerable lesser Articles of the Account; and these were in the Hands of Persons whose Custom was to delude those that dealt with them. The Noblemen lost, because they were imposed upon; and they gave up the Management because they lost. This is the short History. SINCE that Period Operas have declined. Interested Persons have been entrusted with the Management of them: the Performers have been ill treated; and at the same time ill paid: so ill indeed, that there are now several of them begging their Bread among us. The Name of our Country has been thus brought into Disgrace; and good Singers will not come over, unless to serve a different Sort of Masters; worse and worse will therefore be employed, and the Entertainment itself must in the End certainly cease. [7] OPERAS are now frequented by few, except the Subscribers and their Friends; and on half the Nights not even by those: It cannot be supposed those great Personages who slight them now, will contribute to them again under the same Management: We see, perhaps, this Winter the last that will be perform’d in England, unless the Conduct be entirely alter’d. THERE seems, however, an easy Method to restore their Credit; and it is the Purpose of the present Pamphlet to propose it. Candour will excuse Mistakes, if there be such, since it has at least this Merit, to be written by a Person wholly unconcern’d; one who has no Motive but his Regard for the Entertainment, and his Apprehensions of its absolute Destruction. THE Opera is not capable of a lasting Restoration in this Country, unless it will support its own Expence. Whether this be the Case, is the first necessary Question; and the more strictly we enquire, the more we shall be convinced it will; tho’ the Case has not hitherto been rightly understood. [8] WHEN the Performers undertook the Opera for themselves they lost, because, being Foreigners, they were imposed upon: but in all this Time, and under both those Managements, its [sic] is easy to be proved, that Profits were obtain’d; tho’ not by those who deserved them. Estates were got by the Opera, while the Noblemen were fleeced, and the Performers starved. THIS depends on Calculation, and may be proved from Facts which cannot be contested. IF we set the Expence of Operas at the highest, twenty good Houses with a moderate Subscription will pay the Charge of a Season; there remain thirty therefore, reasonably computing, for Advantage: Perhaps there never was a Year in which the Opera did not produce enough to pay itself, tho’ the Money fell into wrong Hands: Four Thousand Pounds has been frequently the Profit of a Season; and it is easy to see much more than this may be got every Winter under a fair and rational Management. [9] THE Care will be comprised in two Articles; to engage the best Performers, for they will bring good Houses; and to retrench unnecessary Expence. A BANKER will be the proper Treasurer of the Cash; nor can it be needful to keep an Army of Carpenters in Pay: it will be enough to employ them when they are wanted. It is ridiculous, even to Absurdity, that a Man should have a large Salary for an Office, to which he appoints himself at the letting of the House. Three Pounds a Week for a Carpenter to be ready for fear he should be wanted, and who, if he is wanted, is paid for his Work beside, is an Extravagance and Folly so barefaced, that one could scarce believe it real; nor is there any Reason the Managers should be obliged to pay an exorbitant Sum nightly for lighting the House, when reputable Tradesmen offer to do it twice as well, for a fifth less Expence. THESE are a few Instances; and the rest are like them. Where then is the Possibility that Money should be gain’d by Operas, except by these Persons; if one [10] Man shall make such Demands, and another order their Payment, independent of those who are at the Expence of the Entertainment; ’tis certain who must gain, and who be ruin’d. TO the Support of Operas in an elegant Manner, no more Money in Advance will be required than for the Rent of the House and a Security to the principal Performers; for which a very moderate Sum will answer; and this is the Time when it can be most conveniently undertaken: but it will be, for many Reasons, a great Advantage, if the House be taken for three Years. THIS will encourage Performers: because their Employment will be of so much Continuance; and will make it worth the Subscribers while to be at some Expence in Improvements of the Scenes and Decorations, &c. because there will be so many Seasons to reap the Advantages. It has been usual to take the House under sad Limitations, with dirty Scenes, and without a Sight of the Wardrobe, and with a certain Profit to those who give no Pleasure to the Audience. This is proposed thus to be avoided. [11] A BOARD of six or eight of the Subscribers might order all the Business, by sitting but two Hours in a Week; and as a Person of Reputation, and Knowledge in Accounts, is necessary to act as Treasurer at the Theatre, he may likewise serve as a Deputy to the Board of Directors, may receive their Orders, take off all the Trouble, and prevent all Imposition. IF this should appear agreeable to those great Personages who have distinguish’d themselves as Patrons of the Opera, the rest is easy. The House, together with the Scenes and Wardrobe, should be taken for three Years; every Article being deliver’d to the Board by Inventory, for which they are to be accountable: the House to remain the Property of the Owner for Assemblies or Masquerades, but at all other Times to be in the Power of the Board of Subscribers only; who having the Choice of employing what Persons they please, would escape the former Snares; and having the Command of the Wardrobe, would be able to dress every Performance to the best Advantage. THE Nobility of England will not conceive the Direction of these Performances [12] beneath their Notice; since they are sensible that in other Nations this Care is usually taken by Persons of the highest Rank purposely to keep it out of mercenary Hands, in which it could not prosper. AT Dresden, Count Bruhl had the Opera under his Direction: at Turin four of the first Personages in the Kingdom always conduct this Entertainment, and Count Perron at this Time distinguishes himself among these by his Taste and Spirit: at Milan the four Questori have the Charge; who are always Personages of the highest Rank: at Venice many noble Venetians in their Turn, honour’d the Care of them with their Attention; and at Naples the Charge devolves upon the Auditore, one of the high Offices of State. THE Success of Operas under such Direction is natural, because they will deserve it; and it will be the same in every Country where they shall have that Honour. The Qualifications for the conducting of such an Entertainment, are the natural Qualities and Accomplishments of Persons of great Rank; Taste, Spirit, and a Dignity accompanied with Politeness; to give [13] Weight to the Commands, and at the same Time make them pleasing. IN the Deputy there would be required some Skill in the Italian Language, and a perfect Knowledge of our own; with a little Taste in Poetry: He should be qualified to judge of the Sense; and to translate the Opera without rendering it ridiculous. These are Talents which might be easily found: but if those who have managed Operas, have been of a Rank too mean for such moderate Accomplishments, much less could we expect in them the higher Requisites. PERHAPS upon a fair and candid Enquiry, it will be found, that the Want of Success has been owing solely to Incapacity in the Conductors, joined with a mercenary Spirit: and if it appear so, the Cause is easily removed. The Ignorance of such a Person may lead him to prefer the meanest Writers, when Metastasio is as readily before him; and in that opinionated Obstinacy which always accompanies Ignorance, he may cut out so much of those which are better, as to reduce all to one Level. If the Singer adds what he [14] likes, when such a Manager has cut out what displeases him, the Performance must become one great Absurdity. I AM grieved to say the English have been content to admit such Managers, and to receive such Operas: but ’tis hoped it will be so no more. A MANAGER, thus destitute of Knowledge, and influenced by mercenary Views, would select the most indifferent Performers because they would come cheaper; and we should be sure to see the best unemployed, because they were too good for his Service. INDEED, we see it now. Persons are suffered at the Opera who would be rejected at the meanest Theatres abroad: no capital Performer of any King appears, and yet the Nobility pay the same Price, as when they had the best Representations. OF late two Incidents have occurr’d at the Opera-House, which seem to threaten the finishing Stroke to that Entertainment: the Introduction of Italian Shades, a larger Kind of magick Lanthorn, an Expedient so low [15] that it would disgrace a Puppet-shew; and Proposals for a smaller Subscription for a less Number of Operas in the Season. The first was 12 Guineas without Dancers, 15 with; so the greater Part of the Audience must have been called out till the Dancing was over. This second is 14 Guineas with Dancers, &c. and is equally absurd with the former: Will the Proprietor let the House for thirty Nights cheaper than if they had Fifty? Will the principal Singers and Dancers take less for their Performances? or, what is very material, will the Owner of the Scenes and Cloaths let them out to Hire for less Money, or give better Dresses and Decorations than at present? These are Questions that may be worthy the Considerations of those, who mean to support the Dignity of an Opera. Having a smaller Number of Representations can not lessen the Expence of the principal Performers, for they must live the Winter, whether they sing two and thirty times, or fifty; and sufficient Care is always taken to prevent their singing any where else. ’Tis evident therefore, we can have no capital Performer upon such Terms; and there requires little Knowledge to find out that an Opera without [16] capital Performers is ridiculous. If Benefits are given them instead of more Pay, it is a second Tax on the Subscribers: but perhaps this may be a new Method in the Place of those imaginary Agreements which were shewn to the Nobility to procure a large Subscription, though the Money was never intended to be paid to the Performers. IF the Nobility will please to take the Opera out of this Kind of Management, it will be easy to make it flourish. IT cannot subsist upon these Terms; nor is there any Reason those who subscribe so largely to the Support of that Entertainment, should submit to them: there are Performers to be had, and they would come joyfully; for to all Foreigners England is Elyzium. FINIS.[1] |
[1] Shakespeare Folger Library, shelfmark 168-203q; advertised in The Public Advertiser, no. 7647, Friday 11 May 1759, [1].