The Paton visit was drawing to a close, with only one more evening remaining to complete the season after the two performances of this charming work. Love in a Village is an example of that strange form of ballad opera, popular as a contrast to the grandiose effects of Italian-style opera seria. Arne cobbled this one together using songs from several different hands, and also recycled a good number of his own pieces. Only where he could find nothing suitable 'off the peg' did he sit down to compose afresh.
Despite these shortcomings, and its naively simple plot. the opera remained popular. Given its provenance, there can have been few complaints when Miss Paton launched into 'The soldier tir'd', a great showpiece aria that Arne had composed during the same year for the very different Artaxerxes.
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