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Donald Macleod explores the court case between Sullivan, his librettist W.S. Gilbert and the impresario D’Oyly Carte.

Sir Arthur Sullivan became the most renowned composer of the Victorian era, with his fame spreading across Europe and America, too. His output spanned many genres including oratorios, a symphony, chamber music, hymns and anthems, but it was for his collaboration with the librettist W.S. Gilbert on operettas that he is best remembered today. He was a personal friend to royalty, and he was knighted when he was in his early 40s. He also had a liking for playing cards, buying race horses and gambling, frequently losing the substantial earnings from the stage works he’d composed. Sullivan became a pillar of the British musical establishment, so when he died, despite wanting to be buried with his family in Brompton Cemetery, he was laid to rest in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral, with an additional service at the Chapel Royal in St. James’s Palace.

In the final decade of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s life, he saw a dream of his come to fruition: a serious grand opera, called Ivanhoe. Sullivan saw it as his most important work. Thanks to his popularity and international fame, the opening night was oversubscribed five times over for tickets. During this period, Sullivan was also regularly commissioned to compose works for royal occasions, such as the festivities surrounding Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubliee. He was viewed a national treasure, and when an argument arose between Sullivan, his librettist W.S. Gilbert, and the impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte, proceedings were followed avidly in the press. It was nicknamed the Great Carpet Quarrel. This put a stop to any collaboration between Sullivan and Gilbert, although in due course they did come together again, and their final operetta was The Grand Duke. It ran for only 123 performances, which D’Oyly Carte regarded as a failure.

The Yeomen of the Guard (Overture) (excerpt)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Neville Marriner, conductor

Other Days
Ashley Riches, bass-baritone
David Owen Norris, piano

Onward Christian Soldiers
Huddersfield Choral Society
Wyn Morris, conductor

My Dearest Heart
Felicity Palmer, soprano
John Constable, piano

Ivanhoe (excerpt)
Janice Watson (Lady Rowena), soprano
Geraldine McGreevy (Rebecca), soprano
Neal Davies (King), baritone
Toby Spence (Ivanhoe), tenor
Stephen Gadd (Grand Master), baritone
James Rutherford (Sir Brian), bass-baritone
Peter Rose (Cedric), bass
Adrian Partington Singers
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ National Orchestra of Wales
David Lloyd-Jones, conductor

Imperial march
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Concert Orchestra
Owain Arwel Hughes, conductor

Utopia Limited (Society has quite forsaken)
Kenneth Sandford (King), baritone
D’Oyly Carte Opera Chorus
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royston Nash, conductor

The Grand Duke (excerpts)
Meston Reid (Ernest Dummkopf), tenor
John Ayldon (Prince of Monte Carlo), bass-baritone
D’Oyly Carte Opera Chorus
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royston Nash, conductor

The Long Day Closes
The Kings Singers

The Gondoliers (excerpts)
Jennifer Toye (Casilda), soprano
Gillian Knight (Duchess of Plaza-Toro), mezzo-soprano
Jeffrey Skitch (Luiz), baritone
John Reed (Duke of Plaza-Toro), baritone
Thomas Round (Marco Palmieri), tenor
Alan Styler (Giuseppe Palmieri), baritone
New Symphony Orchestra of London
Isidore Godfrey, conductor

Produced by Luke Whitlock