MICHAEL BURDENhad produced no less than ten editions of Metastasio's collected works as well as many smaller selections.Throughout the century, Metastasio texts were almost ever-present in the London theatrical seasons and by the end of the century, only five of his texts-Achille in Sciro, Romolo ed Ersi/ia, Ruggerio, Siface re de Numidia, and // trionfo di Clelia-had not been performed in Britain. Yet things began inauspiciously: after the first Metastasio text-the opera Siroe-was performed in 1728, the figures show nothing startling; nine of the seasons between 1728-9 and 1752-3 have no Metastasian work included. But between the 1753-4 and 1799-1800 seasons, only three had no Metastasian work performed; and from the 1800--1 season to the 1840--1 season, there are still only eleven seasons from which a work of his was absent.These raw figures do not, of course, tell the whole story. As Table I shows, in the first years it was Handel who introduced Metastasio to London audiences with Siroe re di Persia in the 1727-8 season; he followed this with Poro (a version of Alessandro nel/'lndie) in 1730--1, and then Ezio in 1731-2. Siroe was one of Handel's last operas for the Royal Academy of Music before it was wound up in early 1729, but the almost instant founding of the Second Academy then saw the composition of Poro and Ezio. But Ezio was not a success-'a New Opera, Clothes & all ye Scenes New-but did not draw much Company' was Colman's commene -and Handel was in need of successes to keep the enterprise afloat. Indeed, his early offerings-Lotario and Partenope-were not much liked, and in an effort to produce the required number of operas for the seasons and to give the public music they liked, he arranged a number of operas by other composers. Four had texts by Metastasio: one, Catone, had music by Leo, and three, Semiramide riconosciuta, Didone abbandonata, and Arbace (a version of Artaserse) were set by Vinci. 7
