opera company professional light opera company staged gilbert sullivan operas nearly year round toured europe north_america 1870s company revived short seasons tours scottish opera later produced productions asked composer collaborate short comic opera round evening entertainment work trial jury success syndicate produce length gilbert sullivan work followed international sensation difficult investors formed new partnership gilbert sullivan opera company company produced succeeding gilbert sullivan operas operas companion pieces london built purpose company mounted tours britain new_york usually running companies simultaneously able assistant wife death ran company death time year round gilbert sullivan touring company son inherited company beginning mounted new seasons london new set costume designs continuing year round tours britain abroad help director conductor ran company years redesigned sponsored series recordings years helped operas popular death daughter inherited company hired general manager company continued tour weeks year issue new recordings play london seasons gilbert sullivan copyright gilbert sullivan operas expired set endowed charitable trust presented operas mounting costs lack public funding forced closure company formed legacy left played short tours london seasons issued popular recordings denied significant funding suspended productions scottish opera produced pirates company performers decades stars day moved careers musical theatre grand opera company licensed operas performance numerous amateur britain providing orchestra parts prompt books hire company kept operas public eye century left enduring legacy production styles stage business continue emulated new productions history beginnings musician ambitious young begun producing london announced ambitions programme productions year desire establish london permanent light opera observer reported manager trained musician appears fact public beginning weary known genuine opera ready welcome musical entertainment higher order musician produce satisfaction wanted establish body english comic opera appeal families contrast adaptations french opera dominated london musical stage time early managing london needing short piece round evening entertainment featuring popular brought tour conducted act comic opera cox box received london revival offered english courtroom time knew composer available set music remembered gilbert suggested gilbert sullivan write music act comic opera trial jury quickly composed added royalty bill march witty english little piece proved popular great success scheme found school english comic opera playing performances touring enjoying theatre royal dublin ireland september managing tour trial jury met young scottish actress fascinated vision establishing company promote english comic opera gave engagement join theatrical organisation secretary educated grasp detail diplomacy ability business surpassed intensely involved business affairs soon managed company responsibilities especially concerning touring later travelled america numerous times years arrange details company new_york engagements american tours continued produce continental touring summer repertoire consisting english adaptations french opera act english curtain happy trial jury musical director travelling company disbanded tour found financial formed produce works gilbert sullivan works british lyricist composer teams theatre company finally financial resources failed attempts produce new length gilbert sullivan opera leased small theatre strand comic opera produced gilbert sullivan london opened november curtain music sullivan assistant words friend gilbert sullivan instead writing piece production theatre proprietor usual victorian theatres gilbert sullivan produced financial support able select cast performers obliged use actors engaged theatre chose talented actors known stars command high fees teach style performance commonly time talent agency provided artists perform new work tailored work particular abilities performers cast members including principal comedian stayed company years longstanding members company started touring companies joined group opera wrote happy family knowing gilbert sullivan shared vision audience british light opera increasing quality gave gilbert wider authority director customary victorian producers gilbert tightly controlled aspects production including staging design movement gilbert hired ballet master operas skill gilbert sullivan performers effect audience critic wrote secretly ease said living soul seen stage weird eccentric intensely human beings existence hitherto unknown comic world sheer delight ran performances healthy run time making profit sent touring company march sheet music sold street musicians played melodies success showed gilbert sullivan future family friendly english comic opera patience gilbert sullivan collaboration opened opera initial slow business generally ascribed heat wave particularly uncomfortable partners lost confidence posted closing notices promotional efforts sullivan included music concerts conducted garden hit required close christmas repairs drainage sewage public health act enforced closure theatre contract clause rights gilbert sullivan initial run took month personal lease theatre beginning february persuaded gilbert sullivan original agreement expired july business partnership advantage formed new partnership richard partnership agreement expenses mounting productions men entitled profits july day agreement gilbert sullivan directors attempted set force performance causing celebrated managed ward backstage attackers protect scenery opened rival production london popular production soon closed legal action ownership rights ended victory gilbert sullivan august company later called sole authorised producer works gilbert sullivan successful piano score sold copies soon sent additional companies tour provinces opera ran performances london second longest run musical theatre history time productions sprang america american law offered copyright protection foreigners gilbert sullivan way prevent try money popularity opera america travelled new_york gilbert sullivan company present authentic production broadway beginning december mounting american tours beginning licensed company produce works australia new_zealand effort head american productions opera pirates partners opened new_york december prior london premiere pirates gilbert sullivan opera official premiere america partners hoped piracy establishing authorised production tours america copy delaying publication score succeed keeping direct profits venture tried success years control american performance operas pirates immediate hit new_york later london popular gilbert sullivan operas secure british copyright performance afternoon new_york premiere devon organised gilbert sullivan opera patience opened april big success second longest running piece series enjoying numerous foreign productions patience self aesthetic movement 1870s 80s england 19th century european movement emphasised aesthetic values moral social themes literature fine art decorative arts interior design beginning established strict rules actors actresses avoid hint scandal performers accused companies described autobiography lingering allowed actors women dressing rooms stage men actually playing mount respective narrow sheep separated goats mother came london expecting find dwelling luxury far road took scenes showed arrangements actors actresses think theatre run lines strict breath scandal touched years experience gilbert suffer loose word gesture stage watched young women like dragon profits success gilbert sullivan operas concert lecture agency talent roster included bought property strand frontage built chose honour state art facility setting new standard technology comfort public building world lit entirely electric lights seated nearly people compared patience production new theatre transferring october generator proved small power building entire house electrically lit stage lit gas december performance stepped stage broke glowing audience demonstrate safety new technology times concluded theatre adapted purpose acoustic qualities excellent reasonable demands comfort taste complied manager later famous manager introduced innovations theatre including numbered seating free programme queue system pit gallery american idea policy services daily expenses theatre half possible ticket sales gilbert sullivan comic operas years gilbert sullivan operas written company produced operas composer teams curtain gilbert sullivan pieces touring productions works fill operas toured gilbert sullivan operas extensively example programme commemorating performance patience london 100th performance new_york shows aside productions patience simultaneously producing companies touring patience companies touring gilbert sullivan operas company touring produced company touring america production youth running new_york theatre lecture tour war correspondent productions patience pirates association australia things 1880s introduced practice licensing amateur theatrical societies present works held rights increasing popularity sales scores rental band parts important influence amateur theatre general wrote prior creation operas amateur actors treated contempt professionals formation amateur gilbert sullivan companies licensed perform operas professionals recognised amateur societies support culture music drama accepted useful training schools legitimate stage volunteer ranks sprung present day favourites attributed rise quality reputation amateur groups largely popularity infectious performing gilbert sullivan operas founded reported nearly british societies producing gilbert sullivan operas year insisted amateur companies follow staging prompt books expired end company continued rent band parts companies world patience company produced opened run february signed year partnership agreement gilbert sullivan create new operas company months notice sullivan intended immediately write new work gilbert suffered financial loss broker went bankrupt november felt long term contract necessary security soon felt trapped gilbert scholar comments agreement effectively gilbert sullivan employees situation created partnership opera opened january soon saw running weakly box office invoked agreement partners new opera written beginning partnership musical establishment pressure sullivan abandon comic opera soon regretted having signed year contract march sullivan told impossible piece character written gilbert conflict 1880s frequently smooth partners differences mixture friendship business sullivan asked released partnership occasions comic operas gilbert sullivan 1880s princess closed comparatively short run months time partnership history opera ready matters worse gilbert suggested plot people fell love taking magic scenario sullivan previously rejected rejected plot gilbert eventually came new idea began work company produced revival trial jury pirates played cast children waiting new work completed partnership successful opera opened march piece british institutions setting fictional japan time took advantage victorian exotic far_east picturesque scenery costumes japan partnership longest running hit enjoying performances second longest run work musical theatre time popular worldwide remains frequently performed opera beginning designer sets spectacular shakespeare productions designed sets partnership opera opened january elements victorian stock melodrama piece profitable relative disappointment extraordinary success closed run months company mounted earlier gilbert sullivan operas year attempt gilbert persuade sullivan set plot gilbert met collaborator half way writing comic plot guard premiered october opera success running year strong new_york touring productions run march sullivan expressed reluctance write comic opera asking gilbert write dramatic work larger musical scale gilbert declined offered compromise sullivan ultimately accepted write light opera time sullivan work grand opera new theatre constructing present british grand opera new comic opera opened december partnership greatest successes wife died married time nearly important managing company years company high production values quality operas created national international taste company mounted touring productions provinces america generally managed helen europe queen victoria honoured company calling windsor castle writing world october commented old compare performances dark ages taking account treatment colours stage cultivation intelligence quality orchestra degree artistic good breeding speak expected best know great advance carpet quarrel end partnership april run gilbert discovered maintenance expenses theatre including new carpet lobby theatre charged partnership instead borne gilbert confronted refused reconsider accounts charge great gilbert felt moral issue involving integrity look past gilbert wrote letter sullivan left remark mistake kick ladder risen wrote gilbert addressed way thought gilbert brought lawsuit sullivan sided building inaugural production sullivan forthcoming grand opera gilbert won suit partnership disbanded sullivan opera successful run operas shared new opera house theatre soon failed sold opera house eventually palace theatre closed gilbert withdrew performance rights vowed write operas company turned new writing teams producing girl ran satisfying performances revival solomon vicar played summer sullivan hall held stage april company presented new pieces touring companies continued play britain america example companies touring britain playing america gilbert aggressive successful legal action sullivan partnership profitable eventually sought reunite gilbert sullivan reconciliation finally came efforts published sheet music operas company produced penultimate gilbert sullivan collaboration limited prepared company produced music despite popularity flop closing july performances expensive production date ran comparatively disappointing performances june turning modest profit company played composed sullivan ran performances respectively closed company toured london suburbs leased theatre dark summer reopening november revival followed ran performances gilbert sullivan financial failure turned gilbert sullivan big hit grand duke men collaborated hired son assistant assisted revival guard later 1890s health declining assumed responsibilities running opera company managed theatre provincial touring companies shows period received comparatively short runs including majesty beauty stone lucky star gilbert sullivan operas sullivan beauty stone ran performances finally new success sullivan rose persia ran performances sullivan lived production sullivan hood isle completed score early 20th century left theatre opera company hotels wife assumed control family businesses london touring companies continued present operas britain overseas leased oversaw management company revival production new comic operas including princess music ran months early toured princess closed leased theatre december company fortunes declined time single touring company way british provinces took seven month south african tour staged season gilbert returning direct season included patience sensation led including pirates health prevented staging london seasons retired leased theatre company perform london continued tour britain gilbert death company continued produce productions operas hired stage manager gordon promoted stage director member company stage manager gilbert direction fiercely preserved company performing traditions detail years underwent cuts received new changes text music operas gilbert sullivan produced company stayed true gilbert period settings traditions evolved time gordon death gilbert directorial concepts survived stage directions printed preserved company prompt books era original choreography maintained addition staging added years traditional repeated successive productions traditional imitated today productions amateur professional companies died son inherited company world war away serving royal_navy according years great war company continued tour country drawing large grateful audiences helped sustain spirits people stern period helped win victory company toured north_america times beginning canadian tour found company productions increasingly return war determined bringing new designers including sets costumes commissioned new costumes worked gilbert original productions later operas redesigned sets costumes costumes retained subsequent designers interview observer august set policy staging operas played precisely original form alteration words attempt bring date declaration modified later interview said plays gilbert words method rendering artists scope new singers tied imitate successes old days main company triumphant return london season prince theatre playing gilbert sullivan operas showing new sets costumes success season led additional london seasons company toured rest year london season stimulated renewed interest operas established second smaller company tour smaller towns disbanded company ran multiple tours simultaneously london seasons engaged guest examined sullivan manuscript scores orchestral parts striking orchestral sound produced press thought scores pleasant duty error letter times noted details orchestration sounded fresh critics thought actually new opera played night exactly written sullivan hired started touring company assistant musical director company complete recording gilbert sullivan opera later known supervised company recordings including acoustic recordings series complete electrical recordings late 1920s early 1930s additional recordings high fidelity late 1940s early 1950s stereo recordings late 1950s early 1960s supervised death daughter new theatre redesigned june closed completely rebuilt designs old house tiers new seating capacity increased theatre reopened days later october designed conducted designed new productions season pirates patience designs contributed later designed costumes trial jury hosted london seasons company london seasons theatres wells included summer seasons winter seasons winter company continued tour british provinces abroad london tours included london suburbs company musical director having assistant musical director retained position guest conducted company centenary season guest tenure retired quarter century principal comedian company highly successful month north american tour new principal comedian company members participated film produced conducted september outbreak world war british government ordered immediate indefinite closure theatres cancelled autumn tour disbanded company theatres permitted reopen september took weeks form company performers including committed engaged play roles company resumed touring edinburgh christmas day company continued perform war tour london german bombing destroyed sets costumes shows cox box princess old productions cox box recreated shortly war received new production planned seen death operas took longer rejoin company hand wartime season daughter designed new production guard seen january new debuted return successful company resumed frequent visits america died leaving strong company daughter soon hired general manager lloyd took steps productions fresh engaging designers redesign costumes scenery redesigned company created new settings costumes half dozen productions settings celebrated costumes retained patience trial jury ladies costumes new production princess designed example company stage directors said reluctant update designed unit set company facilitate touring reducing number required carry scenery review times praised production continued operas noting opera remains singing better musical hear years acting lacks richly performances days worse company began new series recordings featuring green returned company war continued series successor company production film story gilbert sullivan members company cast company gave seven month tour celebrate 75th anniversary american productions company began tradition holding night evening london season later years closing approaching end monopoly gilbert sullivan performances copyright gilbert words expired music come copyright end contributed company assets independent charitable trust endowed trust company scenery costumes band parts assets cash supervised production operas behalf trust economic necessity forced closure company turned competing professional productions gilbert sullivan harm company beginning company recorded operas successor recorded number sullivan pieces cinema film recorded television broadcast productions patience supplied soundtrack cartoon film 1960s company gave north american tours new stage director hired staying march april regular london season wells company moved fortnight centennial performances beginning march 100th anniversary performance trial jury thirteen surviving gilbert sullivan operas performed chronological order trial jury given times curtain pirates following grand duke performances trial specially written curtain called played gilbert sullivan gilbert sullivan plan birth trial prime minister gave short speech highlight season new staging later given royal festival hall revival company grand duke given concert performance narration bbc presenter company musical helm conducted performances sir pirates guest princes philip andrew saw final performance trial jury regular chorus augmented fourteen stars company cecil queen elizabeth_ii jubilee year company gave windsor castle company visited denmark rome gave american tours tour conducted company new musical director success 20th century company toured average weeks year addition week london seasons strong family atmosphere reinforced number marriages company fact people stayed long principal soprano married company principal andrew march explained people didn flats houses touring life history company maintained strict moral standards referred boarding school enforcing policies behaviour stage dress code ascribed strong affection artists company unique family atmosphere company direct descent creators gilbert sullivan followed widow helen son finally granddaughter company preserved century times called unique performance style summarised combination good taste good fun tour rising costs mounting year round professional light opera government support despite generous private contributions caused company increasing losses recommended grant company idea rejected company fans effort raise private funds insufficient accelerating losses producer proposed film company performing gilbert sullivan operas backed forced close company final london season returned guest artists gave performance february theatre recording performance released included songs gilbert sullivan operas company operated nearly continuously years opening trial jury closed company productions continued influence productions companies company dame died leaving million legacy enable company revived company secured sponsorship sir later chairman board trustees bishop chairman appointed revived company general manager musical director succeeding seasons company productions nominated awards company mounted productions gilbert sullivan operas tour london produced unlike original company regularly performed dozen operas year weeks year new company generally presented operas shorter seasons season operas played guard starring company debut april touring opened london july press notices good particularly musical aspects new company opinion divided staging observer thought productions miles superior later work old better designed better lit better played better sung review guardian praised musical standards added gilbert sullivan theatrical musical entertainment remains lot visual operas presented pirates new company productions broadly traditional staging pirates marked break traditional presentations setting giant toy box toy boat company presented versions trial including heavily pregnant criticised old company fans complained betrayal legacy left season departed earnest presentations production included deeply stage floor startling surreal primary coloured angled sets distracting business generally staging considered way unveiled storms outraged critics shared public disapproval production times wrote point disappears humour critics thought time sweep away bad lazy traditions old company calling production subversive sense comedy noting girls pretty boys handsome sing dance youthful company accepted offer birmingham base pattern spring national tours summer london seasons affected initiative stage foreign time day production work chosen underworld presented toured week tour celebrating anniversary sullivan birth innovation welcomed receiving company later presented die count operas new company staged patience princess grand duke stating lacked box office potential unlike predecessor new company permanent ensemble style performers appeared productions production cast guest stars british television leading roles varying degrees success chorus orchestra new company smaller old company chorus reduced orchestra generally production pirates orchestra smaller guardian wrote pit budgetary constraints forced company write score band play sullivan parodies loses company received modest grant afloat turned private funding london seasons beginning despite lean forces company received generally favourable reviews years management new company productions met mixed reviews recordings received recordings restore music cut gilbert sullivan company years felt committed pulled years funding forthcoming company suspended productions july scottish opera produced british touring production pirates partnership reported role company took producing team played played daily_telegraph guardian times gave production stars company producing scottish opera tour july directed starring principal performers gilbert sullivan frequently use names principal refer time periods company history sudden death sullivan brother fred created role learned judge trial jury unknown recruited left company created principal comic roles operas principal comedian parts operas referred roles performers created long series roles original productions operas included soprano soprano tenor bass original new_york_city productions british touring productions soprano comic bass particularly known left company notable players roles rest gilbert lifetime principal comedian played roles tour company took principal comedian performers recordings songs operas era principal players company included tenor soprano tenor pounds sister soprano pounds tenure principal players included soprano young complete recordings operas included active members company 1920s production fallen gilbert banned appearing works britain likely continued principal comedian company wrote asking return company principal comedian declined principal comedian playing variety roles company steadily received performances long tenure company voice deteriorated later career embarked series complete recordings operas world war invited record roles instead concert singer brought substitute performers period include soprano bass estimated portrayed times tenor soprano succeeded played principal comic parts gap end replaced green time company remembered early recordings operas green tenure addition long serving principal players included soprano soprano green followed left company years principal comedian years old years included bass tenor later directed productions soprano successor served principal comedian decades stars era left company wider stage garden wells reed left company took closure company revived company guest artists production regularly seen principal regularly perform roles opera companies included
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company