Popular Christmas shows have been put on, then as now, to pay for the serious business of the rest of the year. Even today, operas and ballets have echoes of those first Christmas shows: Columbines and Harlequins still dance in "The Nutcracker" and Cinderella dances (Ashton) or sings (Rossini) her way to the wonderful happy ending.

About Sarah Lenton

She read Theology at King's College London and has spent most of her working life in the theatre. She regularly writes articles for Royal Opera House programmes, lectures at study days, and gives pre-performance talks for both the Royal Opera House and English National Opera. She has written and directed more than 20 shows for the Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre, and gives tours at the London Coliseum. She does live commentary for BBC Radio 3 Opera broadcasts and writes scripts for BBC Radio 4. She is also a cartoonist.