Background on Gilbert and Sullivan
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert was the most brilliant dramatist of Victorian England. He was also a prolific journalist and humorous poet and he achieved worldwide fame through his long collaboration with Arthur Sullivan on the Savoy Operas.
He was responsible for the building of London's Garrick Theatre and was knighted in 1907.
Sir Arthur Sullivan
W. S. Gilbert once described Arthur Sullivan as "incomparably the greatest English musician of the age." Besides contributing witty operatic parodies and a string of effervescent melodies to the Savoy operas, he wrote, amongst other works, cantatas, oratorios, concert overtures, incidental music to plays, numerous songs and a grand opera. He was the conductor of the Leeds Festival for almost twenty years, a friend of Royalty and a keen follower of the turf. He was knighted in 1883.
H.M.S. Pinafore
“I am the Captain of the Pinafore” in the Simpsons
“I am the Greatest Captain of the Queen’s Navy” sung by Stewie from Family Guy
“I am the Captain of the Pinafore”
H.M.S. Pinafore Archive
H.M.S. Pinafore Plot Summary by Samuel Silvers
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“The fourth collaboration between Gilbert & Sullivan was their first blockbuster hit: "HMS Pinafore", or "The Lass That Loved a Sailor." This opera opened May 28, 1878 at the Opera Comique. It ran for 571 performances and became a huge fad in England, as well as in America, being copied illegally by dozens of performing companies in the US, as well as being presented there by Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte themselves.
Pinafore is among the most popular Gilbert and Sullivan operas, perhaps because of its infectious tunes and generally well-constructed libretto. Drawing on several of his earlier "bab ballad" poems, Gilbert embued HMS Pinafore with mirth and silliness to spare. The opera's gentle satire reprises and builds upon one of The Sorcerer's themes: Love between members of different social classes.” (More)
The mikado
“Three Little Maids”
“Three Little Maids” in the Simpsons
The Mikado Archive
COMMENTS
Introduction to The Mikado
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“å…¸HE MIKADO, or The Town of Titipu," was produced at the Savoy Theatre on 14 March, 1885 and proved to be one of the most famous of all the Gilbert and Sullivan Operas, running, as it did, for 672 nights”
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Summary: Nanki-Poo, Mikado’s son disguised as a Second Trombone, ran away to escape getting married to an older lady named Katisha because he was in love with Yum-Yum, the ward of a High Executioner named Ko-Ko. Pooh-Bah and Pish-Tush, noble lords announce that Yum-Yum will be wedded to Ko-Ko. (“Three Little Maids” is a song sung by Yum-Yum and her two sisters who are also Ko-Ko’s wards) Ko-Ko receives word from Mikado that since no executions have taken place in Titipu for a year, someone must be beheaded within one month. Nanki-Poo tries to commit suicide because he cannot be with Yum-Yum, but Ko-Ko persuades him to be beheaded instead in exchange for being able to marry Yum-Yum a couple days before it. Katisha is furious about the engagement and informs Mikado that his son has been found. During wedding preparations, Ko-Ko informs them that the law has changed so when a married man is beheaded, his wife is buried alive. Yum-Yum no longer wants to get married. Pooh-Bah warns Ko-Ko that Mikado is coming to see if the beheading has been carried out. Ko-Ko, Pooh-Bah and other High Officers decide to lie to Mikado that Nanki-Poo had been beheaded while Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum run away to get married. Mikado comes and hears about the beheading but says he is instead here to find his son who disguised himself as a Second Trombone. Realizing Nanki-Poo was Mikado’s son, the three who lied about his death are terrified and are sentenced to death by boiling oil. Ko-Ko approaches Nanki-Poo who refuses to appear until Katisha is married to someone else and therefore decides to marry Katisha himself. Mikado returns from lunch to find that Katisha is married to Ko-Ko and Nanki-Poo is alive and married to Yum-Yum. (More)
