Most books written about Gilbert & Sullivan have focused on the authors rather than the works. With this detailed examination of all fourteen operas, Gayden Wren fills this void. His bold thesis finds the key to the operas' longevity, not in the clever lyrics, witty dialogue, or catchy music, but in their timeless themes, which speak to audiences as powerfully now as they did the first time the operas were performed. This volume is essential reading for any devotee of these enchanting works, or indeed for anyone who loves musical theater.

Reproduction of the original.

Discusses the history of the Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration, the D'Oyly Carte company, and the various operas.

Provides anecdotes and a synopsis of all 14 operas as well as the complete libretto of each opera.

An examination of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operas, and how parody was used in the culture wars of late-nineteenth-century England.

In this, the first book to focus on the original cast members of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas, world-renowned musical theater expert Kurt Gänzl provides a concise history of the writing and production of each opera, vividly colored by the often little-known life stories of these early performers. Meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated with rare photographs, Gilbert and Sullivan: The Players and the Plays delves into the professional and personal lives of the British and American actors and singers who created the celebrated "famous fourteen" Gilbert and Sullivan operas.