Page - 371 - in Musiktheater im höfischen Raum des frühneuzeitlichen Europa - Hof – Oper – Architektur

Farinelli’s Dream: Theatrical Space, Audience and Political Function of Italian Court Opera 371 distribution of the audience reflects a clear hierarchy, as the higher dignities of state are distributed around the royal box (Luneta de los Reyes), starting with the five sec- retaries, who formed the government lead by the Irishman Richard Wall, Secretary of State at the time, who was seated on the third floor, box number 6, on the king’s right. The remaining secretaries were also located on the third floor: Justice (box number 2), War (number 4), Exchequer (number 7) and Navy (number 9). The diplomatic represen- tatives at court were also present in two boxes on the second floor, the lesser envoys (enviados y ministros in box number 2) and the higher-ranking ambassadors (embaxa- dores at box number 5). The high court officials were naturally present, starting with the Mayordomo Mayor (Lord Chief Butler), Fernando de Silva Álvarez de Toledo, the XII Duke of Alba (second floor, box number 7), who as head of the royal household was responsible for the distribution of the boxes and who therefore signed the document. Nearby were located other highly-placed court officials, such as the Mayordomo Mayor de la Reina (the Queen’s Majordomo), the two Caballerizos (Masters of the King’s and Queen’s Horse, respectively), the Sumiller de Corps (the Royal Chamberlain) or the the new king Charles III in 1760, is preserved at the Archivo General de Palacio in Madrid under the signature P6910. For a reproduction of this source, see Torrione 2000b, p.  312. Figure  4.  Distribution of boxes for a performance of an opera at the Buen Retiro theatre, Madrid 11  April 1755.