Note 466 — Chapter XXVI · OPERA, CONCERTS, MUSIC.

'1673.4. 5 Jan. I saw an Italian opera in Music, the first that had been in England of this Kind,' writes Evelyn; but Pepys mentions it even earlier: '1667.8. Jan. 12. With my Lord Brouncker to his house, there to hear some Italian musique, and here we met Tom Killigrew, Sir Robert Murray, and the Italian, Signor Baptista,[466] who hath prepared a play in Italian for the Opera, which Sir T. Killigrew do intend to have up; and here he did sing one of the Acts.' There is, however, no record of either of these being acted. The first opera of which we have any record is a translation of 'Arsinoë,' an Italian opera written by Stanzani of Bologna, for the theatre of that town, in 1677, and here is the premier advertisement of opera in England.