Editing Charles Bannister (section)

===Shield opera premieres===
Bannister played in the first productions of several of his friend [[William Shield]]'s operas, from his early success ''[[The Flitch of Bacon (opera)|The Flitch of Bacon]]'' at the Little Theatre, Haymarket (as Captain Wilson) in 1778,<ref>Griffel, ''Operas in English'', p. 175.</ref> through many of his later Covent Garden successes. He was the first Mr Belville in Shield's ''Rosina'' (text by Mrs Brooke) in 1782–83, in which Mrs Bannister also appeared:<ref>''The British Drama'', 1824, p. 241.</ref> his song "Her mouth, when a smile" stuck in his personal repertoire. In 1783 he was Captain Fitzroy in Shield's ''[[The Poor Soldier]]''.<ref>Griffel, ''Operas in English'', p. 387.</ref> In 1784 ''Robin Hood'' (text: MacNally) gave Mrs Bannister an air "The Nightingale" with oboe obbligato for Parke jnr., and to Charles Bannister the song "As burns the charger" with trumpet accompaniment. Bannister and [[John Henry Johnstone|'Jack' Johnstone]]'s duet "How sweet in the woodlands" was richly encored.<ref>W. Parke, ''Musical Memoirs'' (1830) Vol. 1, p. 33.</ref> Parke recalled Bannister singing in Shield's ''Fontainbleau, or, Our Way in France'' in 1784, and how he and Johnstone sang duets at a dinner held by Shield soon afterwards.<ref>W. Parke, ''Musical Memoirs'' (1830) Vol. 1, p. 46.</ref> Bannister was also in first performances of Shield's ''The Farmer'' (1787), ''The Highland Reel'' (1788)<ref>Griffel, ''Operas in English'', p. 167, 224.</ref> ''The Crusade'' and ''The Czar'' (both 1790),<ref>Griffel, ''Operas in English'', pp. 107, 110.</ref> and ''The Woodman'' (1791), in the latter with both Johnstone and Incledon.<ref>'An Account of the new comedy called ''The Woodman'',' ''The Lady's Magazine'' Vol 22 (for 1791), (GGJ and J Robinson, London), pp. 151–53. See also W. Parke, Musical Memoirs (1830), Vol. 1, p. 136.</ref>

At Covent Garden a new comic opera by Hook, ''The Fair Peruvian'', in March 1786, featured Bannister opposite the excellent [[Elizabeth Billington|Mrs Billington]], who became suddenly ill during the performance. A different play being offered, Bannister, by winning a laugh, managed to placate a turbulent audience. Bannister was identified with many songs which were never bettered than in his performance of them. 'Among them may be named: "Her mouth which a smile", in ''Rosina''; "While happy in my native land", in ''The Election''; "Brave Admiral Benbow"; "To Anacreon in Heaven"; "When Bibo went down to the regions below"; and above all, and never to be equalled or forgotten, "Stand to your guns, my Hearts of Oak!" In this song, his diminuendo while giving the command, "Reserve your fire" – and, "not yet, nor yet," followed by the tremendous burst of his powerful voice, in the word "Fire!" produced an electrifying and appalling effect.'<ref>Adolphus 1839, Vol. 2, p. 124.</ref>[[File:Charles Bannister Polly Peachum.jpg|thumb|Charles Bannister as [[The Beggar's Opera|Polly Peachum]]]]