1739-1760 - Haymarket (Westminster)
Opera manager and librettist Francesco Vanneschi was active in Florence in 1732 (further details are missing) when he wrote Enrico, later re-set with music by Baldassare Galuppi. He arrived in London in 1741. For the 1741/2 season Charles Sackville, Earl of Middlesex, entered into partnership with seven other noblemen to stage opera performances at the King’s Theatre, Haymarket. They sponsored these until 1745.
Vanneschi acted as manager and librettist; and Baldassare Galuppi was resident composer. The latter stayed in London for eighteen months and of the eleven operas under his direction at least three were his own compositions with texts by Vanneschi; a fourth was presented shortly after he left London to return to Venice in May 1743. Vanesschi remained active in London. He produced the libretto for Gluck’s opera La caduta dei gigantic which premiered at the King’s Theatre in 1746. Vanneschi resigned from opera management after the 1758/9 season and died in 1760.
