Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the
Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S.
Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan
(1842–1900). The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas
between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of
Penzance and The Mikado are among the best known. Gilbert, who
wrote the words, created fanciful "topsy-turvy" worlds for these
operas where each absurdity is taken to its logical
conclusion—fairies rub elbows with British lords, flirting is a
capital offence, gondoliers ascend to the monarchy, and pirates
turn out to be noblemen who have gone wrong. Sullivan, six years
Gilbert's junior, composed the music, contributing memorable
melodies that could convey both humour and pathos. Their operas
have enjoyed broad and enduring international success and are
still performed frequently throughout the English-speaking
world. Gilbert and Sullivan introduced innovations in content
and form that directly influenced the developm