when the gilbert and sullivan partnership disbanded after the production of "the gondoliers" in 1889 the impresario richard d'oyly carte tried to find a new collaborator with whom sullivan could write comic operas for the savoy theatre. grundy was familiar to carte, having written "the vicar of bray" in 1882 with carte's friend edward solomon, and also from his many english adaptations of french works. although modestly successful, "haddon hall" was far less so than sullivan's earlier savoy operas with w. s. gilbert, and sullivan did not write any further operas with grundy.