La Flora
This dance title, being neither Spanish, French nor Italian,
has very little meaning unless it refers to a musical afterpiece called “Flora”
that was produced in London in 1732.
This musical play by John Hippisley was tremendously popular for over seventy years.
When it was first presented in the 1720’s it was called “Hob’s Opera”.
In the next decade it was known as ‘Flora”, after the leading female part,
and even as late as the 1790’s it was still being played to enthusiastic audiences as “Hob-in-the-Well”.
From “Scotland Dances”, by Eugenia (Jeannie) Callander Sharp
(Used by permission.)