Gilbert and Sullivan were British collaborators of comic opera in the Victorian era. Their works are influenced by operatic and folk theatre traditions. William Schwenck Gilbert (1836 - 1911) wrote the libretti and was known as a “dramatic iconoclast” for setting stock characters in “topsy-turvy” situations. The Victorian language, wit and humour forms the nonsensical rhymes of his libretti. Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1842 - 1900) composed the music and is viewed as a typical British minimalist who writes simple forms and harmonies. He draws upon folk songs, sea-shanties, the music of predecessors (Handel, Arne) as well as composers of grand opera.
The Fourteen Gilbert and Sullivan Operas
- Thespis
- Trial by Jury
- The Sorcerer
- H.M.S. Pinafore
- Pirates of Penzance
- Patience
- Iolanthe
- Princess Ida
- The Mikado
- Ruddigore
- Yeomen of the Guard
- The Gondoliers
- Utopia, Limited
- Grand Duke
G&S Fun Facts
- Sullivan always composed the Overture last and there are stories of him handing wet pages of the music manuscript to players for the first rehearsal.
- Generally there was a repetition of an already familiar song for the finales to send the audience out with a memorable tune. This annoyed Gilbert because other than several catch phrases (mainly “What, never?”) the audience seemed to remember Sullivan’s tunes more than Gilbert’s words.
- Both the Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore have been parodied in an episode of The Simpsons.
- Patience was a parody of Oscar Wilde and the aesthetic movement.
- G&S operas have been made into Hollywood films. For example, Kevin Cline starred in Pirates of Penzance.
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