William Shield Ten - The Flitch of Bacon

This is the first performance in modern times, in a new edition by Alexander Walls, tonight's conductor. Rocket Opera provides the outstanding soloists. The story is based on the ancient custom in which couples who had been happily married for a year and a day could claim a flitch (side) of bacon. Plenty of popular airs and original compositions helped establish Shield as a leading composer of comic operas in the late 18th century.