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 | Gilbert & Sullivan |
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Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911) and composer Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900). Together, they wrote fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado are among the best known.
Gilbert, who wrote the words, created fanciful topsy-turvy worlds for these operas, where each absurdity is taken to its logical conclusion - fairies rub elbows with British lords, flirting is a capital offence, gondoliers ascend to the monarchy, and pirates turn out to be noblemen who have gone wrong. Sullivan, seven years younger than Gilbert, composed the music, contributing memorable melodies that could convey both humour and pathos.
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 | H.M.S. Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore, or The Lass that Loved a Sailor, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy Operas, and the first big hit by Gilbert and Sullivan. It opened at the Opera Comique in London on May 25 1878 for a run of 571 performances, which was the second longest run of any musical theatre piece up to that time. H.M.S. Pinafore was Gilbert and Sullivan's fourth operatic collaboration. |
 | Iolanthe
Iolanthe, or The Peer and the Peri, is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy Operas and the seventh collaboration of the fourteen between Gilbert and Sullivan. It was first produced in London at the Savoy Theatre, on 25 November 1882, three days after Patience closed, and ran for 398 performances. |
 | Patience
Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. First performed at the Opera Comique, London, on April 23, 1881, it moved to the 1,292-seat Savoy Theatre on October 10, 1881, where it was the first theatrical production in the world to be lit entirely by electric light. |
 | Princess Ida
Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant, is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Savoy Theatre on January 5, 1884, for a run of 246 performances. |
 | Ruddigore
Ruddigore, or The Witch's Curse, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy Operas and the tenth of fourteen comic operas written together by Gilbert and Sullivan. It was first performed by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company at the Savoy Theatre in London on 22 January 1887. |
 | Trial By Jury
Trial by Jury is a comic opera (entitled "A Dramatic Cantata") in one act, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered on March 25, 1875 in London at the Royalty Theatre, where it initially ran for 131 performances and was considered a hit. Trial then toured and was frequently revived. |
 | The Sorcerer
The Sorcerer is a two-act comic opera, with a libretto by W. S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan. It opened on November 17, 1877 at the Opera Comique in the Strand in London, where it ran for 178 performances. The first American production was at the Broadway Theatre in New York on February 21, 1879, for a run of just 20 performances. |
 | Yeomen of the Guard
The Yeomen of the Guard, or The Merryman and his Maid, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on 3 October 1888, and ran for 423 performances. This was the eleventh collaboration of fourteen between Gilbert and Sullivan. |
 | The Mikado
The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations. It opened on March 14, 1885, in London, where it ran at the Savoy Theatre for 672 performances, which was the second longest run for any work of musical theatre and one of the longest runs of any theatre piece up to that time. The Mikado remains the most frequently performed Savoy Opera, and it is especially popular with amateur and school productions. The work has been translated into numerous languages and is one of the most frequently played musical theatre pieces in history. |
 | The Mikado Redressed
The Mikado Redressed was performed by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Winnipeg. Instead of the usual Japanese theme, it was set in a 1950s art gallery. With a beautiful retro black and white aesthetic, surprising splashes of colour, and the timeless G&S music, it was a hit! |
 | The Gondoliers
The Gondoliers, or The King of Barataria, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre on December 7, 1889, and ran for a very successful 554 performances, closing on June 20, 1891. This was the twelfth comic opera collaboration of fourteen between Gilbert and Sullivan. |
 | The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy Operas. The opera's official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on December 31, 1879, where the show was a hit with audiences and critics. |
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