He wrote in the style of Carey and Dr. Arne in England, and we have eight songs dedicated to “His Excellency George Washington, Esquire,” and in the dedication Hopkinson says: “With respect to this work ... I can only say that it is such as a lover, not a master, of the arts can furnish.” _The Beggar’s Opera_ was presented in New York in 1750 and in Philadelphia in 1759. In 1787, Washington went to a puppet opera in Philadelphia. In 1801 selections from Handel’s _Messiah_ were given in the hall of the University of Pennsylvania. We hear of Francis Hopkinson’s playing on the first organ in Christ Church, Philadelphia, and as early as 1749, John Beals, a “musick-master from London” comes to the Quaker city to teach “violin, hautboy, (oboe) flute and dulcimer,” and advertises as ready to play for balls and entertainments. So we see Philadelphia growing up rapidly, with opera, oratorio, instrumental music and music teachers! Franklin and Washington often commented on the unusually fine music that they heard in the town of Bethlehem (Pennsylvania). Today the early appreciation of music is continued in the yearly Bach Festival held in the Moravian Church under the direction of Frederick Wolle. Musicians from everywhere attend these remarkable performances at Bethlehem. Trinity Church in New York had an organ in 1741, although there were concerts at least ten years earlier. An English schoolmaster, William Tuckey, was the first to train choir boys for the services about 1756. EARLY OPERA We should hardly expect to find French and Italian operas in America before the 1800s, but way down south in New Orleans in 1791, a troupe was giving performances of parts of operas and _vaudeville_, and perhaps an occasional opera of Grétry or Boieldieu. From 1810, the company performed opera regularly, and until recently, there was French opera in New Orleans. Every time an opera company came to New York, _The Beggar’s Opera_ was played, along with other _Ballad-Operas_. In 1796, there were two operas by Americans, Benjamin Carr and Pellisier, but all details have been lost. Mr. Elson says, “At the beginning of the 19th century Charleston and Baltimore entered the operatic field, and travelling troupes came into existence, making short circuits from New York through the three large cities, but avoiding Boston, which was wholly given over to Handel, Haydn, and psalms.” The first time that New York heard _Home, Sweet Home_ was on November 12, 1823, in a melodrama by John Howard Payne, _Clari, the Maid of Milan_. Payne, an American, wrote the words, and Henry Carey, the English composer, the music. The first grand opera that New York heard was Weber’s _Der Freischütz_. It was probably a very crude performance as they made many changes to suit public taste, but it was a great success, especially the melodramatic scenes.