By the acts 3 & 4 Wm. IV. c. 15, and 5 & 6 VicL c. 45, the author of a play, opera, or musical composition, or his assignee, has the sole right of repre-senting or causing it to*be represented in public at any place in the British dominions during the same period as the copyright in the work exists. The right is distinct from the copyright, and requires to be separately Registered. Sweet
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
