British dramatist and lyricist (1836–1911) best known for his 14 comic operas written in collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan. Handwritten manuscript by W. S. Gilbert, ten pages, 8.5 x 10.5, no date but circa 1879–1880. Gilbert pens a synopsis of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera The Pirates of Penzance, intended for publication in conjunction with its premiere. The piece begins: "The Pirates of Penzance are a body of soft-hearted marauders whose head quarters are a cape on the coast of Cornwall. As the curtain rises, they are discovered in the act of celebrating the 'coming of age' of their only apprentice, young Frederic…He explains that having, that day, attained his majority, he is out of his indenture & he intends to avail himself of his liberty to quit their band for ever."
He goes on to discuss the plot at length, incorporating quotations from several of the opera's songs, beginning with one sung by Frederic: "Oh, is there not one maiden here / Who does not feel the moral beauty / Of making worldly interest / Subordinate to sense of duty? / Who would not give up, willingly / All matrimonial ambition, / To rescue such a one as I / From his unfortunate position?"
He also quotes from the Major-General's humorous song: "I know our mythic history—King Arthur’s and Sir Caradoc’s,— / I answer hard acrostics—I’ve a pretty taste for paradox— / I quote in elegiacs, all the crimes of Heliogabalus— / In conics I can floor peculiarities parabolus— / I can tell undoubted Raphaels from Gerard Dows & Zoffanies, / I know the croaking chorus from The Frogs of Aristophanes." Later on, he quotes from the policemen's chorus: "When the foeman bares his steel, / Tarantara, tarantara! / We uncomfortable feel; / Tarantara! / And we find the wisest thing, / Tarantara, tarantara! / Is to slap our chests and sing, / Tarantara!"
In very good to fine condition, the pages having been cut up and taped back together as part of the publication process, and various pencil and ink editorial markings made throughout the text; a revised version of this piece was published in The Era on January 18, 1880. Accompanied by a blue silk program for opera's American debut at the Fifth Ave. Theatre in New York City on December 31 1879.
'The Pirates of Penzance' was first produced before a private audience at the Little Bijou Theatre, Torquay, England, in order to protect the copyright in that country. Its first production on an adequate scale at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York, New Year's Eve, 1879, with Sir Arthur Sullivan, the composer, conducting. 'The Pirates' immediately became the vogue in America, and proved equally, if not more popular than its predecessor, 'H.M.S. Pinafore,' and Sir Arthur pronounced his score of even greater beauty than that of the nautical opera.
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