SNIPPET: One of the best-known but oddest partnerships of the 19th century was that of GILBERT and SULLIVAN, who collaborated on the famous Savoy Operettas which began in 1875 with their one-act 'Trial by Jury.' Arthur Seymour SULLIVAN was Queen Victoria's favourite composer, a serious musician who wrote such well-known pieces as the hymn 'Onward, Christian Soldiers,' and 'The Lost Chord.' SULLIVAN was born into the squalor of Cockney London in 1842 into a musical family. His Irish father was military bandmaster at Sandhurst. From his Italian mother and Irish father, SULLIVAN received his warmth, charm and musical gifts. By the age of 8, he could play competently every musical instrument in his father's band. He also had the gift of a remarkable voice and sang sacred music in scarlet and gold in the Chapel Royal Choir. At the age of 14 he was awarded a prestigious scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music under the terms of which he went to Leipzig Conservatory and met Liszt, Spohe and Grieg. On returning to England he was appointed organist at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. In spite of fragile health that plagued him all his life, SULLIVAN worked hard and accomplished a large amount of work. In London he composed concerti, piano work and symphony, marches, overtures, an oratorio, a ballet, songs, religious music, and two comic operas. Of note - SULLIVAN was commissioned to write three special works including the "Wedding March," celebrating the marriage of the Prince of Wales to the beautiful Princess Alexandra of Denmark, which marked the beginning of the composer's relationship with the royal family. SULLIVAN was also a close friend of novelist Charles DICKENS. After a visit to Ireland, SULLIVAN composed his Symphony in E Flat ("The Irish Symphony") in 1863, which became a great success after its first performance at the Crystal Place in 1866. In 1871, SULLIVAN began a collaboration with the talented and fairly successful English playwright and poet, William Schwenck GILBERT, the son of a retired naval surgeon. GILBERT was born in London in 1836, his parents were well-to do, and he spent much of his youth travelling through Europe with them. He was kidnapped in Italy at a young age, released by ransom, but otherwise appears to have had an uneventful upbringing. He had three younger sisters. GILBERT was tall, bore himself with a military air and had a great wit, which he used frequently to crush those with whom he came into conflict, a not-infrequent occurance. When asked by a boring American lady: "Tell me, Mr. Gilbert, is Bach still composing?" he replied, "No Madam, Bach is by way of decomposing!" In 1877 GILBERT and SULLIVAN co-operated on "The Sorcerer." In 1873 they wrote their full-length masterpiece "HMS Pinafore," which became a huge success - so much so that ten thousand copies of the sheet music were being sold daily. By now the two were very much in demand, and this led to the establishment of a firm partnership between GILBERT, SULLIVAN and D'Oyly CARTE, manager of the Royalty Theatre in Dean Street. London, and who was to be their promoter and manager. The next operetta was a variance on "Pinafore" - "The Pirates of Penzance," which was first produced in NY in 1879 and in England in 1880. Success after success made the trio rich and famous as they followed on with projects to include "The Mikado" in 1885. So well-established had the operas now become that CARTE opened a new London theatre, The Savoy, to be devoted almost entirely to their productions which were then named the Savoy Operas. It was said to have been GILBERT's egotism and jealousy that began to cause a great deal of friction. He quarrelled with nearly everyone and resented the fact that SULLIVAN was knighted in 1883 for services to music while he himself was ignored by Queen Victoria. The cantankerous GILBERT also complained that SULLIVAN's music was drowning his witty words, which further strained their relationship. Their great alliance finally ended in 1896. SULLIVAN took to gambling in the European casinos, suffering greatly from a painful kidney ailment. He died suddenly in London in 1900, leaving a Grand Opera, 'The Emerald Isle,' only half-finished. GILBERT became a magistrate and retired to his rambling house at Harrow, receiving a belated knighthood in 1907. Sir GILBERT died from a heart attack in 1911 after rescuing a drowning girl in the swimming pool at his home. In the end, it was success and mutual respect that held these masters of comic operas together rather than mutual affection. The Savoy operas were kept alive by the D'Oyly CARTE company which continued to stage them until 1982, when hard times in the theatre caused the company to close down. This was re-formed in 1988, however, after a legacy was received by them from the late Bridget D'Oyly CARTE.