HMS Pinafore became so popular that a children's version was produced, with all parts played by young girls and boys, though the 'damme' interjections from youngsters caused pain to Lewis Carroll.
Composer Biography
Arthur Sullivan, the composer, was the first holder of the Mendelssohn Scholarship and studied at the Royal Academy of Music and in Leipzig.
Composition History
Arthur Sullivan composed HMS Pinafore under immense pressure, battling a kidney complaint, and offloaded the arrangement of the Entr'acte and Overture to conductor Alfred Cellier.
Composition History
The librettist W.S. Gilbert's idea for HMS Pinafore, a skit on the Royal Navy and British class system, was inspired by his 'Bab Ballads', specifically 'The Bumboat Woman's Story'.
Composition History
HMS Pinafore initially languished in midsummer 1878 until composer Arthur Sullivan included a selection of its numbers in a popular Covent Garden promenade concert, which led to its sensation.
Historical Context
The character Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty, in HMS Pinafore is a clear jab at W.H. Smith, founder of the newsagent business, who rose from humble beginnings to the same position.
Cultural Impact
HMS Pinafore has been popular with non-English-speaking audiences, translated into Yiddish, Cantonese, Welsh, and many other languages.
You might also enjoy...
Weber: Der Freischütz, Op. 77, J. 277
Mozart, Henneberg, Schack, Gerl & Schikaneder: Der Stein der Weisen
