THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE

 

 

 

 

The Pirates of Penzance or The Slave of Duty was unique among classic Gilbert and Sullivan operas in that its première took place in the USA.   It was at the Fifth Avenue Theater in New York on 31 December 1879, with Sullivan himself conducting.

 

Gilbert, Sullivan and D’Oyly Carte were in the USA with the company to present

H M S Pinafore on 1 December 1879. They had made great progress with the next opera, which they intended should have its premiere in the US.   Sullivan had composed much of the music for Act I of the new opera, but found that he had left it all at home by mistake, so he remembered as much as he could , while rehearsing for H M S Pinafore.   After that, he set about composing the music for Act II. of what was The Pirates of Penzance.

 

The Pirates of Penzance opened in London on 3 April 1880 at the Opera Comique and was a great success, running for 363 performances.   It was also extremely successful in the USA, where at one time there were four different companies performing for D’Oyly Carte.

 

In The Pirates of Penzance, Frederic, when a boy, was apprenticed to a band of pirates by his nurserymaid, Ruth.   Ruth had been instructed by Frederic’s father to bind the boy to a pilot , but she was hard of hearing, and had mistaken the instruction.   The pirates were all orphans and were very tenderhearted.     Upon ending his 21^st year, Frederic rejoices that he is free of his indentures and will leave the pirate band. for ever.   It is later disclosed that Frederic was apprenticed until his 21^st birthday, and he was born on 29 February, in a leap year, so his apprenticeship continues.     A Major-General who is not knowledgeable on military matters is included.   He has several daughters whom the pirates wish to marry.   There are many valiant policemen who are not very good at  dealing with pirates.   The Pirates of Penzance has delighted audiences for a very long time. There are several different recordings that are wonderful. You can find them here:

 

Gilbert, Sullivan and D’Oyly Carte shared the profits of The Pirates of Penzance equally between them.   This was the first occasion on which they had done that.   It continued for the later productions.

 

Gilbert had originally intended to be about robbers, not pirates, but while he was in the US he decided to make it pirates, so The Pirates of Penzance it became.     

 

Sullivan was very pleased with The Pirates of Penzance, feeling that the songs and duets which Gilbert presented enabled him to show his ability as an operatic composer.

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

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