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Ballad Operas
English Comic Opera
In 1875 Richard D’Oyly Carte, manager of the Royalty Theatre, owner of a thriving operatic, lecture and concert agency, and himself a composer of operetta, needed a new piece for his theatre. By luck, Gilbert came to see him with an idea for a short operetta based on a broken-hearted fiancée suing her husband for ‘breach of promise of marriage’. By then Gilbert had become a successful playwright and Sullivan was writing choral music
Gilbert needed someone to compose the music and D’Oyly Carte, remembering Thespis, suggested Sullivan. Gilbert was surprised when Sullivan agreed, but he did, and Trial by Jury opened as an ‘after-piece’ to Offenbach’s La Perichole at the Royalty Theatre in March 1875.
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Programme cover for Iolanthe |
Trial by Jury was a success, due to its clever words, tuneful music and skilful direction by Gilbert. Gilbert insisted on his actors knowing their lines and obeying his direction, something quite new to many actors of the day, and something that had been the downfall of Thespis. Trial by Jury was even ‘pirated’ in America and also staged there in an authorised version in November that year.
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Programme for Trial by Jury |
