Young Victorian Theatre Company G&S since 1971 in Baltimore, MD USA

About Young Vic

The Mikado, 2012
The Mikado, 2012

Gilbert & Sullivan

Gilbert & Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W.S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. 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 & Sullivan
Gilbert & Sullivan (Wikimedia Commons)

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 & Sullivan introduced innovations in content and form that directly influenced the development of musical theatre through the 20th century. The operas have also influenced political discourse, literature, film and television and have been widely parodied and pastiched by humorists. Producer Richard D'Oyly Carte brought Gilbert and Sullivan together and nurtured their collaboration. He built the Savoy Theatre in 1881 to present their joint works (which came to be known as the Savoy Operas) and founded the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, which performed and promoted Gilbert and Sullivan's works for over a century.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Additional Links

Gilbert & Sullivan Archive

The 14 G&S Plays on Project Gutenberg

A Collection of G&S DVDs on Amazon

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2023 Season Sponsor

Generous Support Provided By

Maryland State Arts Council

The Young Victorian Theatre Company is funded by an operating grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. Funding for the Maryland State Arts Council is also provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

The Young Victorian Theatre Company is a nonprofit professional summer repertory theatre.