The immensely successful tenor John Braham (1777?-1856) of whom it was said: 'there is no tenor like Braham in Italy' (The Harmonico, 1832) is seen here as Prince Orlando in the original production of Thomas Dibden’s comic opera The Cabinet with music by William Reeve, John Moorehead, John Braham, Domenico Corri and John Day, that opened at the Theatre Royal Covent Garden on 9th February 1802.

The Cabinet told the story of Lorenzo, son of Count Curvoso, who was in love with Leonora, while Prince Orlando and the rich old Marquis de Grand Chateau vied for the favours of Constantia, the Count’s daughter. The title on the print notes that it was produced by the engraver Robert Dighton especially for his friend and author of the piece. Thomas Dibdin.

Short and swarthy, John Braham, the son of John and Esther Abrahams, was born in London and studied with the tenor Michael Leoni, and later with Venanzio Rauzzini. He made his first appearance at Covent Garden Theatre as an eleven-year old on 21 April 1787 billed as Braham, a version of his real name Abrahams. By 1796 when he appeared at the King's Theatre, Braham was England's leading tenor. His reputation as a singer was enhanced by a successful continental tour from 1797 until 1801 with the famous soprano Nancy Storace with whom he had a long relationship and with whom he performed in Paris to an audience that included Napoleon and Josephine, and with whom he met Horatio Nelson and Emma Hamilton in Leghorn in 1799. Praised for his virtuoso technique, clear enunciation and dramatic interpretation of music, his acting was often forgiven for the quality of his singing, Sir Walter Scott once remarking that 'Braham was a beast of an actor but an angel of a singer'.