 Sullivan and Tennyson had worked together before, on a song cycle for tenor, "The Window", written and composed in 1867–68, but not published until 1871.Sullivan and Tennyson did not find working together on "The Window" congenial and did not attempt work together again for over twenty years.Meanwhile, Tennyson had written a play, "The Cup", that was produced with success by Henry Irving at the Lyceum Theatre in 1881.