Book contents
- Music and the Benefit Performance in Eighteenth-Century Britain
- Music and the Benefit Performance in Eighteenth-Century Britain
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Music Examples
- Notes on Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Musical Benefits in the London Theatre: Networks and Repertories
- 1 Risks and Rewards: Benefits and Their Financial Impact on Actors, Authors, Singers, and Other Musicians in London, c. 1690–1730
- 2 With Several Entertainments of Singing and Dancing: London Theatre Benefits, 1700–1725
- 3 Concertos ‘upon the Stage’ in Early Hanoverian London: The Instrumental Counterpart to Opera Seria
- 4 Cobblers, Country Fairs, and Cross-Dressing: Benefits and the Development of Ballad Opera
- Part II Beyond London: Mimicry or Originality?
- Part III Benefits and Public Image
- Part IV Charity Benefits
- Part V The Role of the Audience
- Select Bibliography
- Index of Musical Works
- General Index
1 - Risks and Rewards: Benefits and Their Financial Impact on Actors, Authors, Singers, and Other Musicians in London, c. 1690–1730
from Part I - Musical Benefits in the London Theatre: Networks and Repertories
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 October 2019
- Music and the Benefit Performance in Eighteenth-Century Britain
- Music and the Benefit Performance in Eighteenth-Century Britain
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Music Examples
- Notes on Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Musical Benefits in the London Theatre: Networks and Repertories
- 1 Risks and Rewards: Benefits and Their Financial Impact on Actors, Authors, Singers, and Other Musicians in London, c. 1690–1730
- 2 With Several Entertainments of Singing and Dancing: London Theatre Benefits, 1700–1725
- 3 Concertos ‘upon the Stage’ in Early Hanoverian London: The Instrumental Counterpart to Opera Seria
- 4 Cobblers, Country Fairs, and Cross-Dressing: Benefits and the Development of Ballad Opera
- Part II Beyond London: Mimicry or Originality?
- Part III Benefits and Public Image
- Part IV Charity Benefits
- Part V The Role of the Audience
- Select Bibliography
- Index of Musical Works
- General Index
Summary
Benefits were a way for performers and authors to display their talents and (hopefully) reap the benefits directly. However, the box office receipts were typically collected and counted by theatre management. Presale of tickets through subscription (often at elevated prices) and strong personal networks of fellow-performers, patrons, and supporters were key to a financially successful benefit. This essay will look at the existing practice of actors’ and authors’ benefits at the turn of the eighteenth century, with reference to specific cases where details of financial outcomes are available and illuminate its implementation over time.
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- Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2019