Opera Scotland

Thomas Arne Suggest updates

Thomas Augustine Arne

Born London, 12 March 1710.

Died London, 5 March 1778.

English composer.

Arne's most successful operatic works were probably two short ballad operas, Thomas and Sally (1760) and Love in a Village (1762).  Between these he composed a full-length English opera in the Italian style, Artaxerxes.  Among his many stage works he also composed a patriotic masque, Alfred, which contains perhaps his most famous song, 'Rule Britannia!'