"Many persons who would be desirous to witness the early part
of a performance, are indisposed to pay the price of a whole evening's
entertainment, for that portion of it only which they can enjoy; and
it may reasonably be supposed that thousands who might wish to enter
the theatre at a later hour (as at the usual time for second price),
are wholly excluded by the certainty of finding the best seats
occupied. Thus numberless persons, from the one or the other cause,
are deterred from frequenting the amusements of the stage." In order,
therefore, to accommodate the patrons who required the performances
to commence at an early hour, and to gratify those who demanded that
the entertainments should be continued until late, it was proposed to
divide every evening's entertainment into two distinct parts or
performances. Each performance was to consist of a full three-act
opera; or of a short opera with a ballet or musical entertainment. The
first performance was to begin at six o'clock, and to last till about
nine; and the second performance was to begin at half-past nine, and
to conclude at twelve; the prices to either performance being
considerably reduced.
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