Gilbert and Sullivan

Gilbert and Sullivan refer to the musical team of librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900). The two are famous for the creation of the British light opera tradition. A light opera - a genre almost entirely composed of Gilbert and Sullivan works - is a comic work in the popular tongue (vulgate), written for mass consumption and enjoyment, often to parody themes of (then-) modern life. During their lifetimes and work together, Gilbert and Sullivan wrote fourteen light operas.

Famous Works

Among the better known works by Gilbert and Sullivan are Patience, Ruddigore, Pirates of Penzance, and HMS Pinafore. All of the works were written to parody elements of British life in the Victorian era, especially often mocking the Royal Navy, the linchpin of Britain's then-fading empire. All of the works are subtitled with a phrase illuming the background of the story - often, the subtitles were meant to foreshadow a theme in the opera, the non-existence of which would become a major comic element. For example:

• Pirates of Penzance, subtitled "The Slave of Duty," foreshadows the main character's conflict between his (illusory) duty and his love of the female lead.
• Ruddigore, subtitled "The Witch's Curse," foreshadows the central theme of the curse on the family of the Baronets of Ruddigore, which is resolved comically.