''Sylvia'' is a 1730

ballad opera The ballad opera is a genre of England, English ''comic opera'' stage play that originated in the early 18th century, and continued to develop over the following century and later. Like the earlier ''comédie en vaudeville'' and the later ''Sings ...

by the British writer

George Lillo George Lillo (3 February 1691 – 4 September 1739) was an English playwright and tragedian. He was also a jeweller in London. He produced his first stage work, ''Silvia, or The Country Burial'', in 1730, and a year later his most famous play, ...

, written as part of a boom in ballad operas in the wake of

John Gay John Gay (30 June 1685 – 4 December 1732) was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for ''The Beggar's Opera'' (1728), a ballad opera. The characters, including Captain Macheath and Polly Peach ...

's 1728 hit '' The Beggar's Opera''. The original cast included Thomas Walker as Sir John Freeman,

Charles Hulett Charles Hulett (c.1700-1735) was a British stage actor. His name is sometimes written as Charles Hulet. Hulett was the son of John Hulett, a Yeomen of the Guard and Steward (office), Steward to the George Compton, 4th Earl of Northampton, Earl of ...

as Welford, John Hippisley as Jonathon and Jane Egleton as Betty.

References

Bibliography

* Burling, William J. ''A Checklist of New Plays and Entertainments on the London Stage, 1700-1737''. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, 1992. * Nicoll, Allardyce. ''A History of Early Eighteenth Century Drama: 1700-1750''. CUP Archive, 1927. 1730 operas Ballad operas English-language operas Plays by George Lillo {{play-stub