Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the 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 HMS 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.
Producer Richard D'Oyly Carte brought Gilbert and Sullivan together and nurtured their collaboration. He built the Savoy Theatre in 1881 to present their joint works—which came to be known as the Savoy Opera—and he founded the D'oyly Cart Opera Company which performed and promoted their works for over a century.
The Gilbert and Sullivan operas have enjoyed broad and enduring international success and are still performed frequently throughout the English-speaking world. The collaboration introduced innovations in content and form that directly influenced the development of musical theatre throughout the 20th century. The operas have also influenced political discourse, literature, film and television and have been widely parodied and pastiched by humorists.
Major works and original London run
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Thespis, or, The Gods Grown Old (1871) 63 performances Thespis (1871)
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Trial by Jury (1875) 131 performances
- The Sorcerer (1877) 178 performances
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H.M.S. Pinafore, or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor (1878) 571 performances
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The Pirates of Penzance, or, The Slave of Duty (1879) 363 performances
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Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride (1881) 578 performances
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Iolanthe, or, The Peer and the Peri (1882) 398 performances
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Princess Ida, or, Castle Adamant (1884) 246 performances
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The Mikado, or, The Town of Titipu (1885) 672 performances
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Ruddigore, or, The Witch's Curse (1887) 288 performances
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The Yeomen of the Guard, or, The Merryman and his Maid (1888) 423 performances
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The Gondoliers, or, The King of Barataria (1889) 554 performances
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Utopia, Limited, or, The Flowers of Progress (1893) 245 performances
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The Grand Duke, or, The Statutory Duel (1896) 123 performances |
