English opera reached a peak of popularity in the late eighteenth century, sharing the stage with spoken plays. Stephen Storace (1762-96) dominated the music at Drury Lane from 1788 until his death in 1796, with works that were outstanding among their peers. In his mainpieces he integrated music and drama along Italian lines; in his afterpieces he followed the English tradition to which he was heir.

His original music demonstrates a lyrical gift and strong sense of theatre, while his use of borrowed material shows a practical man of the theatre.

Theatrical life is discussed from a musical perspective to give fair weight to music in the well-being of the institution. The music publishing industry was also important to Storace, both in disseminating his music and in providing a large part of his income. His publications are placed in the context of publishing norms and early use of copyright provisions for his music.