The Duenna: A Comic Opera

by Richard Brinsley Sheridan

"The Duenna: A Comic Opera" by Richard Brinsley Sheridan is a three-act comic opera first performed in 1775. Mostly composed by Thomas Linley the elder and younger, this work became one of the most successful operas ever staged in England, admired by Samuel Johnson and Lord Byron. The story draws from Spanish honor dramas, featuring a young woman who escapes her father's house to avoid an unwanted marriage. Blending original compositions with traditional ballads, it captivated audiences with technically complex songs requiring trained singers—a departure from earlier ballad operas.