List of Compositions By Thomas Arne - Stage Works

Stage Works

Completion Title Genre Length Première Librettist or playwright Other details
1733 Rosamond opera seria 3 Acts 7 March 1733, London, Lincoln's Inn Fields after Joseph Addison's 1704 opera Revived as an afterpiece in 1740. The only existing score of the work is the afterpiece version.
1733 The Opera of Operas, or Tom Thumb the Great burlesque opera afterpiece 29 October 1733, London, Little Theatre Eliza Haywood and William Hatchett, after Henry Fielding Two songs from the work still exist, one in The British Musical Miscellany, vol. iii (1735) and the other in J. Markordt, Tom Thumb (1781). The other 16 songs are now lost.
1734 Dido and Aeneas masque 12 January 1734, London, Little Theatre Barton Booth Only 2 songs still exist from The British Musical Miscellany, vol. i (1734). The rest of the masque is lost.
1734 Love and Glory masque 2 Acts 21 March 1734, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane T. Phillips Music now lost. The work contained 14 musical numbers.
1735 Harlequin Orpheus, or The Magical Pipe pantomime 3 March 1735, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane unknown Music now lost.
1735 The Twin Rivals incidental music for a play 2 Acts 21 August 1735, London, Little Theater George Farquhar All of the music is lost with the exception of the overture which is the same used for Harlequin Restor’d.
1735 Harlequin Restor’d, or The Country Revels pantomime 18 October 1735, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The overture is the only work to survive from this work with the exception of a few comic songs which may or may not be from the pantomime.
1735 Greenwich Park incidental music for a play 10 November 1735, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane William Mountfort Music now lost.
1735 The Miser incidental music for a play 13 November 1735, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Henry Fielding Music now lost. Fielding's play is based on Molière's L'avare.
1736 Harlequin Restor’d, or Taste à la Mode pantomime 12 January 1736, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Richard Charke Music now lost.
1736 Zara incidental music for a play 12 January 1736, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Aaron Hill All music accept a march is lost. Hill's play is based on Voltaire
1736 The Fall of Phaeton masque 28 February 1736, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane W. Pritchard Only one of the six songs survives.
1736 The Rival Queens, or The Death of Alexander the Great incidental music for a play 22 November 1736, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Nathaniel Lee Only a single duet, published in The Songs in As You Like It and Twelfth Night (1741), survives.
1737 The King and the Miller of Mansfield incidental music for a play 29 January 1737, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Robert Dodsley Only one song published in The Musical Entertainer, vol. i (1737) survives.
1738 Comus masque 3 Acts 4 March 1738, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane John Dalton, after John Milton's Comus A copy of the full score published in 1740 is at the British Library. Arne revised the work as an

afterpiece in 1772.
1738 The Tender Husband, or The Accomplish’d Fools incidental music for a play 25 November 1738, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Richard Steele Only a single song, published in The Songs in As You Like It and Twelfth Night (1741), survives.
1739 An Hospital for Fools dramatic fable 15 November 1739, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane James Miller The four songs written for the play survive, but the dance music is now lost.
1740 Don John, or The Libertine Destroy’d incidental music for a play 13 February 1740, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Thomas Shadwell Contained several songs, dance of shepherds, and dance of furies. The music is now lost.
1740 Lethe, or Esop in the Shades incidental music for a play 1 April 1740, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane David Garrick Arne wrote only one of the songs for this play, which was published in The Agreeable Musical Choice, vol. vi (1754). The other music for the production was composed by W. Boyce.
1740 Alfred opera 3 Acts 1 August 1740, Cliveden House, Berks. David Mallet and James Thomson Originally written as a masque to celebrate the accession of George II in 1740. Was later revised into an all sung oratorio in 1745 and then greatly expanded into its final version as an opera in 1753. A score of the final version still survives.
1740 Oepidius, King of Thebes incidental music for a play 19 November 1740, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane John Dryden and Nathaniel Lee, after Sophocles Contained one song and instrumental music for the sacrificial scene. Music now lost.
1740 The Tempest incidental music for a play 4 Acts 28 November 1740, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Shadwell and Dryden, after William Shakespeare Contained several songs as well as instrumental music by Arne. A number of the songs still survive in various song collections published during the 1770s. Two songs appear in Nine Shakespeare Songs by Thomas Augustine Arne (London, 1963).
1740 As You Like It incidental music for a play 4 Acts 20 December 1740, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane William Shakespeare Contained several songs as well as instrumental music by Arne. A number of the songs still survive in various song collections published during the 1770s. Three songs appear in Nine Shakespeare Songs by Thomas Augustine Arne (London, 1963).
1741 Twelfth Night, or What You Will incidental music for a play 4 Acts 15 January 1741, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane William Shakespeare Contained several songs as well as instrumental music by Arne. Only three of the songs still survive.
1741 The Peasant’s Triumph on the Death of the Wild Boar ballet 12 February 1741, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Some of the dance music survives.
1741 The Merchant of Venice incidental music for a play 4 Acts 14 February 1741, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane William Shakespeare Two songs and one duet survive.
1741 The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green ballad opera 2 Acts 3 April 1741, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Robert Dodsley Seven of the nine songs survive.
1741 The Rehearsal incidental music for a play 4 Acts 21 November 1741, London, Royal College of Music George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham Only one duet survives.
1742 The Judgment of Paris masque 1 Act 12 March 1742, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane William Congreve A score, including arias and choruses, dated from 1745 still exists.
1742 Miss Lucy in Town ballad farce 6 May 1742, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Henry Fielding Revived in 1770 as The Country Madcap. Contained 10 songs but all of the music is now lost.
1743 The Mock Doctor farce 2 May 1743, Dublin, Aungier St Theatre Joseph Addison Although the music is likely by Arne, an absolute assertion of his authorship can not be established. All of the music is now lost.
1744 Theodosius, or The Force of Love incidental music for a play 26 April 1744, Dublin, Smock Alley Theatre Nathaniel Lee All five musical numbers still exist.
1744 Cymbeline incidental music for a play 8 November 1744, London, Little Theatre Theophilus Cibber, after Shakespeare. Text by William Collins. Only the dirge still exists.
1745 The Temple of Dullness burlesque opera 3 Acts 17 January 1745, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Colley Cibber, after interludes in Lewis Theobald's The Happy Captive Originally included 16 songs. All of the music is now lost.
1745 The Picture, or The Cuckold in Conceit incidental music for a play 11 February 1745, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane James Miller, after Molière's Sganarelle Only one song survives.
1745 King Pepin’s Campaign burlesque opera 2 Acts 15 April 1745, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane William Shirley Contained 19 musical numbers. Music now lost.
1746 Harlequin Incendiary, or Colombine Cameron pantomime 3 March 1746, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Contained 14 musical numbers. Music now lost.
1746 The She-Gallants, or Once a Lover and Always a Lover incidental music for a play 13 March 1746, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne Only one song survives.
1747 The Sheep-Shearing, or Florizel and Perdita incidental music for a play 1747, Dublin, Smock Alley Theatre Macnamara Morgan, after Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale Music now lost.
1747 The Wild-Goose Chase incidental music for a play 7 March 1747, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane John Fletcher Only one song written for the play which is now lost.
1748 The Foundling incidental music for a play 13 February 1748, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane E. Moore Only one song written for the play which still survives.
1748 The Provok’d Wife incidental music for a play 21 March 1748, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Garrick, after J. Vanbrugh Only one song of the five written for the play still survives.
1748 The Nunnery Expedition incidental music for a play advertised 20 April 1748, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane unknown Never performed and the music is now lost.
1748 Much Ado About Nothing incidental music for a play 14 November 1748, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Shakespeare Only one song written for the play which still survives.
1749 The Triumph of Peace masque 21 February 1749, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Dodsley Only one of the seven songs written for the masque still survives.
1749 The Muses’ Looking Glass incidental music for a play 9 March 1749, London, Covent Garden Theatre T. Randolph Only one song written for the play which still survives.
1749 Henry and Emma, or The Nut-Brown Maid musical drama 31 March 1749, London, Covent Garden Theatre T. Holt, after M. Prior Contained 15 musical numbers of which all but two, the overture and a song also used in The Masque of Alfred (1757), are now lost.
1750 Don Saverio comic opera 15 February 1750, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane By the composer. Only two of the eighteen songs written for the opera still survives; one that was printed in London Magazine (1752) and another that was reused in Masque of Alfred (1757).
1750 Harlequin Mountebank, or The Squire Electrified pantomime London, New Wells, Clerkenwell, 16 April 1750 Music now lost.
1750 The Sacrifice of Iphigenia entertainment London, New Wells, Clerkenwell, 16 April 1750 One song still survives that was published in London Magazine (1750).
1750 Romeo and Juliet incidental music for a play 28 September 1750, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Shakespeare Only a dirge written for the play which was printed c. 1765
1751 The Country Lasses, or The Custom of the Manor incidental music for a play 14 December 1751, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden C. Johnson One song published in Vocal Melody, iv (1752)
1752 Harlequin Sorcerer pantomime 11 February 1752, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden after Theobald Twelve musical numbers written of which four solo songs, one duet, and a minuet survive.
1752 The Oracle incidental music for a play 17 March 1752, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden S.-M. Cibber, after Saint-Foix One song survives, published in Vocal Melody, iv (1752).
1752 The Drummer, or The Haunted House incidental music for a play 8 December 1752, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Addison Only one musical number survives.
1754 Eliza opera 3 Acts 29 May 1754, London, Little Theatre, Haymarket R. Rolt An incomplete score was published in 1757. Parts of Act 1 and Act 2 are now lost.
1755 Britannia masque 2 Acts 9 May 1755, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane A complete score published in 1755 still exists.
1756 Injured Honour, or The Earl of Westmorland incidental music for a play 8 March 1756, Dublin, Smock Alley Theatre H. Brooke Contained an anthem, dirge, and triumphal hymn. All of the music is now lost.
1756 The Pincushion farce farce 20 March 1756, Dublin, Smock Alley Theatre Most likely by Arne himself but attributed to John Gay All of the music is now lost.
1756 The Painter’s Breakfast incidental music for a play 2 April 1756, Dublin, Smock Alley Theatre unknown All of the music is now lost.
1756 Catherine and Petruchio incidental music for a play 2 April 1756, Dublin, Smock Alley Theatre Garrick, after Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew All of the music is now lost.
1756 Mercury Harlequin pantomime 27 December 1756, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane H. Woodward Two songs survive.
1757 The Fair Penitent incidental music for a play 22 April 1757, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden N. Rowe All of the music is now lost.
1757 Isabella, or The Fatal Marriage incidental music for a play 2 December 1757, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Garrick, after T. Southerne Two songs survive that are published in The Agreeable Musical Choice, viii (1758).
1758 The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian musical play 1 February 1758, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden T. Betterton, after ?Fletcher and P. Massinger One of the six musical numbers survives.
1758 The Sultan, or Solyman and Zaida masque 23 November 1758, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Originally performed with a revised version of The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian. Only a duet survives.
1759 The Ambitious Stepmother incidental music for a play 1 February 1759, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Rowe All of the music is lost.
1759 Cymbeline incidental music for a play 15 February 1759, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden W. Hawkins, after Shakespeare Only a dirge survives which was later re-used in The Winter’s Amusement (1761).
1759 The Beggar's Opera ballad opera 3 Acts 10 October 1759, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden John Gay Arne added a few new songs, a hornpipe, and made some small revisions to the original music by Gay.
1760 The Desert Island incidental music for a play 24 January 1760, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane A. Murphy, after P. Metastasio One song survives.
1760 The Jovial Crew, or The Merry Beggars comic opera 2 Acts 14 February 1760, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden E. Roome, M. Concanen and W. Yonge, after R. Brome 7 songs survive which were published in A Collection of Songs, ix (c1760). The opera was revived as The Ladies’ Frolick at Drury Lane on 7 May 1770.
1760 Thomas and Sally, or The Sailor’s Return comic opera 2 Acts 28 November 1760, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden I. Bickerstaff Full score published in 1761 and republished in 1977.
1761 The Way to Keep Him incidental music for a play 10 January 1761, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Murphy Two song survives.
1761 The Provok’d Husband, or A Journey to London incidental music for a play 7 April 1761, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Vanbrugh and C. Cibber Two song survives which were published in The Winter’s Amusement, xiii (1761).
1762 Artaxerxes serious opera 3 Acts 2 February 1762, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Arne, after Metastasio A published score was made in 1762 without the recitatives and final chorus. However, some of the missing music was published in The Syren (1777) and in an 1820 re-publication by J. Addison.
1762 Beauty and Virtue Reconciled serenata 26 February 1762, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Arne, after Metastasio All of the music is lost.
1762 Love in a Village pasticcio/comic opera 3 Acts 8 December 1762, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Bickerstaff, after Johnson's The Village Opera The work contains 42 musical numbers of which only five were newly composed works by Arne. The other music is made up of 13 pieces borrowed from Arne's earlier stage works, a new overture was by C. F. Abel, and 23 songs by other composers, including Geminiani and Galuppi, albeit with new texts. Full score survives.
1763 The Birth of Hercules masque Never performed but was rehearesed for performance in London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Shirley Nineteen musical numbers were composed for the work but all of the music is now lost.
1764 The Arcadian Nuptials masque 19 January 1764, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Most likely Arne. Only a dialogue survives which was published in A Favourite Collection of Songs (1764).
1764 The Guardian Out-witted comic opera 3 Acts 12 December 1764, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Arne Only the overture survives which was published in Periodical Overtures, xxvii (1770).
1765 L’olimpiade opera seria 3 Acts 27 April 1765, London, Kings Theatre in the Haymarket Bottarelli, after Metastasio All of the music is now lost.
1765 The Summer’s Tale pasticcio/ musical comedy 6 December 1765, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden R. Cumberland Contained two new songs by Arne and 2 songs from previous works by Arne which were arranged by S. Arnold.
1766 Miss in her Teens, or The Medley of Lovers farce 25 April 1766, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Garrick, after Dancourt's La parisienne One song survives.
1768 Lionel and Clarissa pasticcio/comic opera 25 February 1768, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Bickerstaff The work contained 1 new song by Arne and was arranged by C. Dibdin.
1770 King Arthur, or The British Worthy masque 3 Acts 13 December 1770, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Garrick, after Dryden Contains revisions of Henry Purcell's King Arthur and 10 new songs by Arne.
1771 The Fairy Prince masque 3 Acts 12 November 1771, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Colman the elder, after B. Jonson's Oberon The score was published in 1771 but without the dance music, recitatives, and some of the choruses.
1772 Squire Badger burletta 2 Acts 16 March 1772, London, Little Theatre Arne, after Fielding's Don Quixote Only 1 of the 15 musical numbers survives. The work was revived under the name The Sot at the Little Theatre on 16 February 1775.
1772 The Cooper comic opera 2 Acts 10 June 1772, London, Little Theatre Arne, after N.M. Audinot and A.F. Quétant's Le tonnelier Published in 1772 and re-published in 1956.
1772 Elfrida dramatic poem or opera 5 Acts 21 November 1772, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Colman the elder, after W. Mason Published in 1772.
1772 The Rose comic opera 3 Acts 2 December 1772, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Most likely Arne Of the 20 musical numbers only the overture survives.
1772 The Pigmy Revels, or Harlequin Foundling pantomime 26 December 1772, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane J. Messink Charles Dibdin wrote most of the music for this work. Arne only composed the Morris Dance which was published in 1773.
1773 Alzuma incidental music for a play 23 February 1773, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Murphy, after Dryden and Voltaire Two songs were written, Procession of Virgins and Ode to the Sun, both of which are now lost.
1773 The Trip to Portsmouth comic opera 11 August 1773, London, Little Theatre G.A. Stevens Vocal music by Dibdin; overture borrowed from The Rose and 2 new dance tunes by Arne.
1773 Achilles in Petticoats burlesque opera 3 Acts 16 December 1773, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Colman the elder, after Gay Vocal score published in 1774.
1774 Henry and Emma (revised) musical drama 3 Acts 13 April 1774, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden H. Bate Dudley, after Prior Four new songs were written of which all are now lost.
1775 May-Day, or The Little Gipsy musical farce 2 Acts 28 October 1775, London, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Garrick Vocal score published in 1776.
1776 Phoebe at Court operetta 2 Acts 22 February 1776, London, Little Theatre Arne, after R. Lloyd's The Capricious Lovers Music is now lost.
1776 The Seraglio comic opera 25 November 1776, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Dibdin and E. Thompson Only one song by Arne. The rest of the music is by Dibdin and Arnold. Music now lost.
1776 Caractacus dramatic poem or opera 5 Acts 6 December 1776, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Mason Twentyone musical numbers written. Music now lost.
1777 Love Finds the Way pasticcio/comic opera 3 Acts 18 November 1777, London, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden T. Hull, after Murphy's The School for Guardians Music arranged by Fisher and contained an unknown number of new songs by Arne. Music now lost.
Trick upon Trick ballad opera unknown production R. Fabian Two songs survive which were published in The Winter’s Amusement (1761). Possibly performed at Covent Garden as a part of The Comical Resentment, or Trick for Trick on 26 March 1759.

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