We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culture

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Who are Gilbert and Sullivan?

Mary Elizabeth
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 3,942
Share

Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (1836–1911) was an English librettist and dramatist who also directed his own plays. Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1842–1900) was an English composer and conductor. Together, they are known as Gilbert and Sullivan, and are responsible for a group of operettas that enjoyed great success during their lifetimes and are still popular today.

Gilbert and Sullivan operettas are rife with parody, sarcasm, irony, and satire. Their first collaboration was Thespis, which was presented in the Christmas season of 1871. Gilbert returned to blank-verse plays for four years, and when Gilbert and Sullivan next rejoined, it was for Trial by Jury in 1875, their first joint success. It was commissioned and produced by Richard D’Oyly Carte, who went on to producing the 12 Gilbert and Sullivan operettas that followed, bringing the total works of Gilbert and Sullivan to fourteen.

The complete list of Gilbert and Sullivan follows:

Thespis, or the Gods Grown Old — 1871
Trial by Jury — 1875
The Sorcerer — 1877
HMS Pinafore, or The Lass that loved a Sailor — 1878
The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty — 1879
Patience, or Bunthorne’s Bride — 1881
Iolanthe, or The Peer and the Peri — 1882
Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant — 1884
The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu — 1885
Ruddigore, or The Witch’s Curse — 1887
The Yeoman of the Guard, or The Merryman and his Maid — 1888
The Gondoliers, or The King of Barataria — 1889
Utopia (Limited), or The Flowers of Progress — 1893
The Grand Duke, or The Statutory Duel — 1896

The operas from 1875 to 1889 are the ones most closely identified with the pairing of Gilbert and Sullivan. They satirize culture, education, the genre of melodrama, and human nature in general.

The relationship between the partners was not always easy. Gilbert and Sullivan quarreled, and Gilbert and Carte quarreled, and Gilbert ended up suing Carte after The Gondoliers had been staged. The threesome made up, leading to the last two joint efforts in the collaboration of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary Elizabeth
By Mary Elizabeth
Passionate about reading, writing, and research, Mary Elizabeth is dedicated to correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to writing articles on art, literature, and music for WiseGeek, Mary works as a teacher, composer, and author who has written books, study guides, and teaching materials. Mary has also created music composition content for Sibelius Software. She earned her B.A. from University of Chicago's writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Passionate about reading, writing, and research, Mary Elizabeth is dedicated to correcting misinformation on the...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/who-are-gilbert-and-sullivan.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.