Iolanthe
Role D'Oyly Carte 1955 Tour D'Oyly Carte 1965 Tour D'Oyly Carte 1975 Tour D'Oyly Carte 1982 Tour
Lord Chancellor Peter Pratt John Reed John Reed James Conroy-Ward
Mountararat Donald Adams Donald Adams John Ayldon John Ayldon
Tolloller Leonard Osborn David Palmer Meston Reid Geoffrey Shovelton
Private Willis Fisher Morgan Kenneth Sandford Kenneth Sandford Kenneth Sandford
Strephon Alan Styler Thomas Lawlor Michael Rayner Peter Lyon
Fairy Queen Ann Drummond-Grant Christene Palmer Lyndsie Holland Patricia Leonard
Iolanthe Joyce Wright Peggy Ann Jones Judi Merri Lorraine Daniels
Celia Maureen Melvin Jennifer Marks Marjorie Williams Margaret Lynn-Williams
Leila Beryl Dixon Pauline Wales Patricia Leonard Helene Witcombe
Fleta Margaret Dobson Elizabeth Mynett Rosalind Griffiths Alexandra Hann
Phyllis Cynthia Morey Valerie Masterson Pamela Field Sandra Dugdale
Historical casting
The following tables show the casts of the principal original productions and D'Oyly Carte Opera Company touring repertory at various times through to the company 's 1982 closure : Role Savoy Theatre1882 Standard Theatre1882 Savoy Theatre1901 Savoy Theatre1907 Savoy Theatre1908 Lord Chancellor George Grossmith J. H. Ryley Walter Passmore Charles H. Workman Charles H. Workman Mountararat Rutland Barrington Arthur Wilkinson Powis Pinder Frank Wilson Rutland Barrington Tolloller Durward Lely Llewellyn Cadwaladr Robert Evett Harold Wilde Henry Herbert Private Willis Charles Manners Lithgow James Reginald Crompton Overton Moyle Leo Sheffield Strephon Richard Temple William T. Carleton Henry Lytton Henry Lytton Henry Lytton Fairy Queen Alice Barnett Augusta Roche Rosina Brandram Louie René Louie René Iolanthe Jessie Bond Marie Jansen Louie Pounds Bessel Adams Jessie Rose Celia May Fortescue Mina Rowley Agnes Fraser Violette Londa Dorothy Court Leila Julia Gwynne Kate Forster Isabel Agnew Beatrice Meredith Beatrice Boarer Fleta Sybil Grey Billie Barlow Winifred Hart-Dyke Ernestine Gauthier Ethel Lewis Phyllis Leonora Braham Sallie Reber Isabel Jay Clara Dow Elsie Spain Role D'Oyly Carte1915 Tour D'Oyly Carte1925 Tour D'Oyly Carte1935 Tour D'Oyly Carte1945 Tour D'Oyly Carte1951 Tour Lord Chancellor Henry Lytton Henry Lytton Martyn Green Grahame Clifford Martyn Green Mountararat Frederick Hobbs Darrell Fancourt Darrell Fancourt Darrell Fancourt Eric Thornton Tolloller Walter Glynne Sidney Pointer John Dean Herbert Garry Leonard Osborn Private Willis Leo Sheffield Leo Sheffield Sydney Granville L. Radley Flynn Richard Watson Strephon Leicester Tunks Henry Millidge Leslie Rands Leslie Rands Alan Styler Fairy Queen Bertha Lewis Bertha Lewis Dorothy Gill Ella Halman Ella Halman Iolanthe Nellie Briercliffe Aileen Davies Marjorie Eyre Marjorie Eyre Joan Gillingham Celia Ethel Armit Hilary Davies Ann Drummond-Grant Ana Nicholson Enid Walsh Leila Betty Grylls Beatrice Elburn Elizabeth Nickell-Lean Doreen Binnion Joyce Wright Fleta Kitty Twinn Dorothy Gates Kathleen Naylor Margaret Mitchell Henrietta Steytler Phyllis Elsie McDermid Winifred Lawson Doreen Denny Helen Roberts Margaret Mitchell
Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri () is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh of fourteen operatic collaborations by Gilbert and Sullivan. In the opera, the fairy Iolanthe has been banished from fairyland because she married a mortal; this is forbidden by fairy law. Her son, Strephon, is an Arcadian shepherd who wants to marry Phyllis, a Ward of Chancery. All the members of the House of Peers also want to marry Phyllis. When Phyllis sees Strephon hugging a young woman (not knowing that it is his mother - immortal fairies all appear young), she assumes the worst and sets off a climactic confrontation between the peers and the fairies. The opera satirises many aspects of British government, law and society. The confrontation between the fairies and the peers is a version of one of Gilbert's favourite themes: a tranquil civilisation of women is disrupted by a male-dominated world through the discovery of mortal love. Iolanthe opened in London on 25 November 1882, at the Savoy Theatre to a warm reception, and ran for 398 performances, the fourth consecutive hit by Gilbert and Sullivan. It was the first work to premiere at the Savoy (although Patience had transferred to the theatre in 1881) and was the first new theatre production in the world to be illuminated entirely with electric lights, permitting some special effects that had not been possible in the era of gas lighting. The opera opened simultaneously in New York, and touring companies were sent around the UK and US to play the piece. The first Australasian touring production followed in 1885, and the opera was revived in London beginning in 1901.