John Weeks Moore

“ The dress of common life had never before been seen upon the opera stage, and so shocked was the classical taste of the Venetians at this innovation, that they actually refused the piece a fair hearing. ”

“ It happened, however, that
some royal personage, passing through Venice, expressed a strong desire to see this opera, and in deference to him, the music suffered no interruption ; their rapture was equal to their first unwarrantable disgust, and the poor discarded "Disertor" became a reigning favorite. Bianchi wrote the first opera, both for Storace and for Billington, "Castore e Polluce" for the former, and "Inez di Castro" for the latter. His forte lay in fine expression. ”

“ Blanchi, Francesco, was born at Cremona. He composed either fifty-seven or fifty-eight entire operas, besides a considerable quantity of church and other music. He wrote a great deal for Pacchierotti and Marchesi, and some of his operas remain in public estimation, and were pperformed, both in Italy and in England, at least as often as those of any other master. ”