Dramatist
John Dennis devised the thunder sheet as a new method of producing theatrical thunder for his tragedy
Appius and Virginia (1709) at the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane,
London. His invention was
co-opted by another play at the same theater, and he complained how they dared to "
steal my thunder", notwithstanding that the theater still had possession and legal ownership of the equipment that Dennis had constructed. Notable orchestral works in which the
instrument has been used include the following: •
Richard Strauss:
Eine Alpensinfonie and the opera
Die Frau ohne Schatten •
Giuseppe Verdi:
Otello •
Richard Wagner:
Der Ring des Nibelungen and
Parsifal. •
Mozart:
The Magic Flute •
Ignacy Jan Paderewski:
Symphony in B minor "Polonia" (1903–08) •
Alan Hovhaness: "Invocation to Vahakn No. 3" •
Engelbert Humperdinck:
Hänsel und Gretel The American rock band
The Grateful Dead, for example, were also notable for using thunder machines. ==Theatre==