These are the first performances in Scotland of The Marriage of Figaro. The Theatre Royal was mounting a twelve night season with two guest artists up from London, Miss Stephens, of the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, and Mr Smith, of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
The advertising indicates that the music was 'chiefly selected from Mozart's Operas, and adapted to the British Stage by Mr Bishop'. It was the custom of the day to make substantial adaptations for British audiences, and Sir Henry Bishop was an acknowledged expert at the task, even if his work is now frowned upon.
The Scenery, Machinery, Dresses, and Decorations are said to be 'partly new, and partly selected' (i.e. from the theatre's existing stock). The new scenery is detailed - 'In the Third Act of the Opera will be introduced A View of the Gardens of Count Almaviva, and also of The Palace By Moonlight'. Having gone to the expense of concocting two new and spectacular scene pictures, the Theatre's management would no doubt have found the opportunity to use them in other works later on (i.e. add them to stock).
In accordance with usual practice, the performance, at any rate the second one, on a Saturday, is advertised as being followed by an afterpiece, in this case the farce Husbands and Wives.
Abbreviated details are as advertised in the Caledonian Mercury, Saturday 31 July 1819.
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