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Margaret Kennedy (singer)
Margaret Kennedy (née Doyle; died 23 January 1793) was a contralto singer and actress. She was best known for her performances in male roles, especially in the operas of Thomas Arne. Early career (1776–1779) Kennedy was born with the name Margaret Doyle, but the place and date of her birth are not known. She had Irish ancestry, and she may have been born in Ireland or possibly in London. Kennedy married a Mr. Farrell in August 1774, before she made her singing debut, and she appeared under the name "Mrs Farrell" in her early career. She may have studied music with Gaetano Quilici.Olive Baldwin, Thelma Wilson, ‘Kennedy , Margaret (d. 1793)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 200accessed 19 March 2015/ref> She was discovered by Thomas Arne while performing as a singer at an inn in St Giles, London. She studied under Arne and sang at the Haymarket Theatre in three concerts organised by Arne for his pupils in 1775, appearing in another pu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Beggar's Opera
''The Beggar's Opera'' is a ballad opera in three acts written in 1728 by John Gay with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch. It is one of the watershed plays in Augustan drama and is the only example of the once thriving genre of satirical ballad opera to remain popular today. Ballad operas were satiric musical plays that used some of the conventions of opera, but without recitative. The lyrics of the airs in the piece are set to popular broadsheet ballads, opera arias, church hymns and folk tunes of the time. ''The Beggar's Opera'' premiered at the Lisle's Tennis Court, Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre on 29 January 1728 and ran for 62 consecutive performances, the second-longest run in theatre history up to that time (after 146 performances of Robert Cambert's ''Pomone (opera), Pomone'' in Paris in 1671). The work became Gay's greatest success and has been played ever since; it has been called "the most popular play of the eighteenth century". In 1920, ''The Beggar's Opera ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A-Hunting We Will Go
"A-Hunting We Will Go" is a popular folk song and nursery rhyme composed in 1777 by English composer Thomas Arne. Arne had composed the song for a 1777 production of ''The Beggar's Opera'' in London. The '' a-'' is an archaic intensifying prefix; compare "Here We Come A-wassailing/Here We Come A-caroling" and lyrics to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (e.g., “Six geese a-laying”). Lyrics A-hunting we will go, A-hunting we will go Heigh-ho, the derry-o, A-hunting we will go. A-hunting we will go, A-hunting we will go We'll catch a fox and put him in a box And never let him go (Modern versions often change the last line to “And then we’ll let him go”.) Each consequent verse gets modified by putting in a different animal: : "...a fish and put him on a dish..." : "...a bear and cut his hair..." : "...a pig and dance a little jig..." : "...a giraffe and make him laugh..." : "...a mouse and put him in a house..." : ... Earlier versions of the song switch the words "a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry Fielding
Henry Fielding (22 April 1707 – 8 October 1754) was an English novelist, irony writer, and dramatist known for earthy humour and satire. His comic novel '' Tom Jones'' is still widely appreciated. He and Samuel Richardson are seen as founders of the traditional English novel. He also holds a place in the history of law enforcement, having used his authority as a magistrate to found the Bow Street Runners, London's first intermittently funded, full-time police force. Early life Fielding was born 22 April 1707 at Sharpham, Somerset, and educated at Eton College, where he began a lifelong friendship with William Pitt the Elder. His mother died when he was 11. A suit for custody was brought by his grandmother against his charming but irresponsible father, Lt Gen. Edmund Fielding. The settlement placed Henry in his grandmother's care, but he continued to see his father in London. In 1725, Henry tried to abduct his cousin Sarah Andrews (with whom he was infatuated) while she was on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Omai (play)
''Omai'' is a 1785 pantomime written by John O'Keeffe with music by William Shield. It depicts the voyage of Omai, a Tahitian royal, to marry Londina the fictional daughter of Britannia. It was loosely inspired by the real visit of Omai to Europe in the 1770s and the final voyage of the explorer Captain James Cook leading up to his dramatic death in 1779. Its full name is ''Omai: or, a trip round the world'' Production The sets were designed by Philip James de Loutherbourg who took great care to try to make his depictions as authentic as possible by studying sketches made on all three of Cook's voyages and consulting with John Webber an artist who had sailed with Cook. The play was produced a year and a half after official Admiralty records of Cook’s final voyage were released and played a major part in the hero-isation of Cook.Claydon & McBridge p.273 Although much of its material was intentionally whimsical and inaccurate, it helped shape Western views of the Pacific Ocean ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rosina (opera)
''Rosina'' is a 1782 comic opera by William Shield to an English-language libretto by Frances Brooke. The opera was written in 1771/72 but first performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, on 31 December 1782. It was intended to be used as a light afterpiece to a more "serious" work sung in Italian. Such works were common at the time, although Rosina is the only one that has survived in the form of a complete score. ''Rosina'' has a number of features associated with later English comic opera, and even modern musical comedy – including the use of English, spoken dialogue, lightness of theme, and the use of folk and popular melodies. At least to that degree, it may be regarded as one of the ancestors of the musical, and Shield as one of the first composers of musicals. It was popular at the time. On 27 January 1808 the opening performance of the Sunderland Theatre featured ''The Cure for the Heart '' and ''Rosina'' in a benefit performance for sailors from Tyne and Wear held p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Shield
William Shield (5 March 1748 – 25 January 1829) was an English composer, violinist and viola, violist. His music earned the respect of Haydn and Beethoven. Life and musical career Shield was born in Swalwell near Gateshead, County Durham, the son of William Shield and his wife, Mary, née Cash. He was first taught music by his father but, after both he and his mother died while Shield was still a child, he was apprenticed to a shipbuilder in South Shields, continuing however to study music with Charles Avison in Newcastle upon Tyne. He became a noted violinist in Newcastle's subscription concerts before moving to Scarborough, England, Scarborough to lead a theatre orchestra. In 1772, he was appointed by Felice Giardini to play violin in the opera at Covent Garden (now the Royal Opera House), and from 1773 he was principal viola, violist there. On 21 February 1776 he was in Durham, where he attended the meeting of the city's masonic lodge at the ''Marquis of Granby'' tavern. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allen-a-Dale
Alan-a-Dale (first recorded as Allen a Dale; variously spelled ''Allen-a-Dale'', ''Allan-a-Dale'', ''Allin-a-Dale'', ''Allan A'Dayle'' etc.) is a figure in the Robin Hood legend. According to the stories, he was a wandering minstrel who became a member of Robin's band of outlaws, the "Merry Men". He is a relatively late addition to the legend; he first appeared in a 17th-century broadside ballad, Child Ballad 138, " Robin Hood and Allan-a-Dale", and, unlike many of the characters thus associated, managed to adhere to the legend. In this tale, Robin rescues Alan's sweetheart from an unwanted marriage to an old knight. They stop the bishop from proceeding with the ceremony, and Robin Hood, dressed in the bishop's robes, marries Alan to his bride. In other versions it is Little John or Friar Tuck who performs the ceremony.Holt, J. C. ''Robin Hood'' p 165 (1982) Thames & Hudson. Another variant appears in which the hero is not Alan but Will Scarlet, but Alan has taken over the r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Poor Soldier
''The Poor Soldier'' is a 1783 British pasticcio opera with music by William Shield and a text by John O'Keeffe. It was a comedy set around Irish soldiers returning home after fighting in the British army in the American War of Independence, which formally ended that year with the Peace of Paris. One of the redcoats must fight for the love of Norah with the urbane Captain Fitzroy. The events are set entirely in a small Irish village called Carton, a few miles from Dublin, although several versions refer to it only as "a country village". ''The Poor Soldier'' was an altered version, as an afterpiece, of the earlier '' The Shamrock, or The Anniversary of St Patrick'', first performed as a comic opera on 16 April 1777 at Crow Street Theatre, Dublin, followed by a London performance on 7 April 1783 at Covent Garden. The first performance of ''The Poor Soldier'' took place on 4 November 1783 at Covent Garden. The work enjoyed widespread popularity in the newly independent United ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John O'Keeffe (Irish Writer)
John O'Keeffe (24 June 1747 – 4 February 1833) was an Irish actor and dramatist. He wrote a number of farces, amusing dramatic pieces and librettos for pasticcio operas, many of which had great success. Among these are '' Tony Lumpkin in Town'' (1778), ''Love in a Camp'' (1786), and ''Omai'' (1785), an account of the voyages of the Tahitian explorer Omai, and '' Wild Oats'' (1791). Early life O'Keeffe was born in Abbey Street, Dublin in 1747 to Roman Catholic parents and was educated by the Jesuits. His father was from King's County and his mother (née O'Connor) from County Wexford. After showing a talent for drawing he studied art at an academy in Dublin, but grew increasingly more interested in the theatre. After a two-year period in London, where he became an admirer of David Garrick, he settled on a career as an actor and playwright. O'Keeffe wrote his first play ''The She Gallant'' when he was twenty, and it was performed in Dublin at the Smock Alley Theatre. In Cork, in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Castle Of Andalusia
''The Castle of Andalusia'' is a 1782 comic opera by Samuel Arnold and a libretto by John O'Keeffe. It was a heavily rewritten version of the 1781 work ''The Banditti'', which had been a failure. After its first performance on 2 November 1782, the original run saw the work performed thirty-nine times, and it was revived on several occasions until 1817. It became a popular play for amateur dramatics and was performed by the Kilkenny players, including many of the elite, with the writer Thomas Moore Thomas Moore (28 May 1779 – 25 February 1852) was an Irish writer, poet, and lyricist celebrated for his ''Irish Melodies''. Their setting of English-language verse to old Irish tunes marked the transition in popular Irish culture from Irish ... appearing several times in the role of Spado.Kelly (2009), p. 173. References Bibliography * Fenner, Theodore: ''Opera in London: Views of the Press, 1785-1830'' (Carbondale, Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press, 1994) * Kell ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thomas Arnold
Thomas Arnold (13 June 1795 – 12 June 1842) was an English educator and historian. He was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement. As headmaster of Rugby School from 1828 to 1841, he introduced several reforms that were widely copied by other noted public schools. His reforms redefined standards of masculinity and achievement. Early life and education Arnold was born on the Isle of Wight, the son of William Arnold, a HM Customs and Excise, Customs officer, and his wife Martha Delafield. William Arnold was related to the Arnold family of landed gentry, gentry from Lowestoft. Thomas was educated at Warminster School, Lord Weymouth's Grammar School, Warminster, at Winchester College, Winchester, and at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He excelled in Classics and was made a fellow of Oriel College, Oxford, Oriel in 1815. He became headmaster of a school in Laleham before moving to Rugby. Career as an educator Rugby School Arnold's appointment to the headship of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Duenna
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the most frequently used word in the English language; studies and analyses of texts have found it to account for seven percent of all printed English-language words. It is derived from gendered articles in Old English which combined in Middle English and now has a single form used with pronouns of any gender. The word can be used with both singular and plural nouns, and with a noun that starts with any letter. This is different from many other languages, which have different forms of the definite article for different genders or numbers. Pronunciation In most dialects, "the" is pronounced as (with the voiced dental fricative followed by a schwa) when followed by a consonant sound, and as (homophone of pronoun ''thee'') when followed by a v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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