Alarbas. A Dramatick opera.

London: Printed by M. J. for J. Morphew, 1709. [6], 51pp, [1]. Without half-title. Later half-vellum, marbled boards, contrasting black calf lettering-piece. A trifle rubbed. Bookseller's ticket of T. Connolly of Dublin to FEP, three horizontal closed tears to title page, naive paper repair to verso, occasional spotting/damp-staining. The sole edition of an anonymous serious opera in verse. Although Alarbas seemingly never reached the stage, the printed text calls for a great deal of music, and this, combined with numerous directions for the use of machine effects, make it a prime example of English dramatic opera of first decade of the eighteenth-century - a form soon to become unfashionable. In the preface, the author laments that his work 'being some time since drawn according to the Model of English Dramatick Opera's, any Person that is the least acquainted with the late Performances, will easily account for its appearing in this manner before it had pass'd the Stage, if they will be pleas'd to observe, that the Nature of the Play will not admit of its Representation at either House: The Opera-Theatre being wholly taken up with Italian Airs, and the other totally excluding the Musical Part'. Uncommon outside of North America; ESTC records copies at only three locations in the British Isles (BL, NLS, and Oxford). ESTC T88563.. First edition. Quarto.