Musica de la Theatro was likely used by an instrumental ensemble in a British theatre in the second half of the 18th Century. It is a compilation of 68 works bound in 8 part books (violin 1, violin 2, viola, oboe 2, corno 1, corno 2, bassoon & violoncello, and basso continuo). It contains a variety of incidental music for the stage, as well as overtures and concerto movements by such composers as Handel, Arne, Purcell, Lampe, and others. Some pieces are in copyists' manuscripts, while others are early printed editions. Not all pieces use all 8 parts and at times parts for other instruments have been substituted in (e.g., oboe 2 for violin 2). This is not a complete set of parts for performance, as the oboe 1 part book is missing, and many of the works in the collection are concertos and arias without solo parts.