In 1871, W.S. Gilbert, a barrister and humorist who had turned to a career as a playwright, was commissioned to write the libretto (or text) for a light opera. A prolific 29-year-old composer named Arthur Sullivan, whose credits already included the famous hymn “Onward, Christian Soldiers,” provided the music. Although this initial collaboration proved unsuccessful, Gilbert and Sullivan proceeded to write 13 more operettas, achieving international acclaim and a popularity that endures to this day.

The Gilbert and Sullivan operas are known for their comic plots and satiric mockery of Victorian manners and the British Empire. The Londoners reached the height of fame in 1878-79 with H.M.S. Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance, and debuted their most successful work, The Mikado, in 1885. Gilbert’s words were sharp and witty and sparkled with charm and rhyme; Sullivan’s compositions were rich and melodious and displayed a sense of musical parody. The operas also are known as the Savoy Operas, after the theater built for their performance.

Gilbert and Sullivan had contrasting temperaments and differing visions, which led to frequent disagreements. Sullivan aimed to compose a grand opera; Gilbert refused to stray from comic opera. An argument over production costs in 1890 halted their collaboration for three years. After Gilbert and Sullivan reconciled, they produced two final operettas that failed to capture their earlier magic.

PostScript: Sullivan, who struggled with a chronic kidney ailment, died in 1900. Gilbert died in 1911 when, at the age of 74, he suffered a heart attack while trying to save a drowning woman.