1766-Aug.-20: The French Actors in Paris gave the first performance of “Artaxerces,” a new tragedy by M.

1766-Aug.-20: The French Actors in Paris gave the first performance of “Artaxerces,” a new tragedy by M. le Mierre that had been anticipated for a long time. Although the play was well-received and saw many consecutive representations, critics speculated on whether it would retain the same level of applause in print. The colonial gazette reported on such metropolitan cultural milestones to keep Saint-Domingue’s elite informed of Parisian artistic life.