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    The Mikado: or The Town of Titipu
    The Mikado: or The Town of Titipu
    The Mikado: or The Town of Titipu
    Ebook150 pages1 hour

    The Mikado: or The Town of Titipu

    By W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan

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    About this ebook

    The partnership between William Schwenck Gilbert and Arthur Seymour Sullivan and their canon of Savoy Operas is rightly lauded by all lovers of comic opera the world over. Gilbert’s sharp, funny words and Sullivan’s deliciously lively and hummable tunes create a world that is distinctly British in view but has the world as its audience. Both men were exceptionally talented and gifted in their own right and wrote much, often with other partners, that still stands the test of time. However, together as a team they created Light or Comic Operas of a standard that have had no rivals equal to their standard, before or since. That’s quite an achievement. To be recognised by the critics is one thing but their commercial success was incredible. The profits were astronomical, allowing for the building of their own purpose built theatre – The Savoy Theatre. Beginning with the first of their fourteen collaborations, Thespis in 1871 and travelling through many classics including The Sorcerer (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), The Mikado (1885), The Gondoliers (1889) to their finale in 1896 with The Grand Duke, Gilbert & Sullivan created a legacy that is constantly revived and admired in theatres and other media to this very day.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCopyright Group
    Release dateJun 1, 2016
    ISBN9781785437298
    The Mikado: or The Town of Titipu
    Author

    W. S. Gilbert

    W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911) was an English librettist, dramatist, and poet. Born in London, Gilbert was raised by William, a surgeon and novelist, and Anne Mary, an apothecary’s daughter. As a child he lived with his parents in Italy and France before finally returning to London in 1847. Gilbert graduated from Kind’s College London in 1856 before joining the Civil Service and briefly working as a barrister. In 1861, he began publishing poems, stories, and theatre reviews in Fun, The Cornhill Magazine, and Temple Bar. His first play was Uncle Baby, which ran to moderate acclaim for seven weeks in 1863. He soon became one of London’s most popular writers of opera burlesques, but turned away from the form in 1869 to focus on prose comedies. In 1871, he began working with composer Arthur Sullivan, whose music provided the perfect melody to some of the most popular comic operas of all time, including H. M. S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), and The Mikado (1885). At London’s Savoy Theatre and around the world, The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company would perform Gilbert and Sullivan’s works for the next century. Gilbert, the author of more than 75 plays and countless more poems, stories, and articles, influenced such writers as Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw, as well as laid the foundation for the success of American musical theatre on Broadway and beyond.

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      Book preview

      The Mikado - W. S. Gilbert

      The Mikado by Gilbert & Sullivan

      or THE TOWN OF TITIPU

      Libretto by William S. Gilbert

      Music by Arthur Sullivan

      The partnership between William Schwenck Gilbert and Arthur Seymour Sullivan and their canon of Savoy Operas is rightly lauded by all lovers of comic opera the world over. 

      Gilbert’s sharp, funny words and Sullivan’s deliciously lively and hummable tunes create a world that is distinctly British in view but has the world as its audience.

      Both men were exceptionally talented and gifted in their own right and wrote much, often with other partners, that still stands the test of time.  However, together as a team they created Light or Comic Operas of a standard that have had no rivals equal to their standard, before or since. That’s quite an achievement.

      To be recognised by the critics is one thing but their commercial success was incredible.  The profits were astronomical, allowing for the building of their own purpose built theatre – The Savoy Theatre.

      Beginning with the first of their fourteen collaborations, Thespis in 1871 and travelling through many classics including The Sorcerer (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), The Mikado (1885), The Gondoliers (1889) to their finale in 1896 with The Grand Duke, Gilbert & Sullivan created a legacy that is constantly revived and admired in theatres and other media to this very day.

      Index of Contents

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      SCENES

      MUSICAL NUMBERS

      ACT I—Courtyard of Ko-Ko's Official Residence.

      ACT II—Ko-Ko's Garden

      GILBERT & SULLIVAN – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

      GILBERT & SULLIVAN – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

      First produced at the Savoy Theatre on March 14, 1885 it was the ninth of fourteen Gilbert & Sullivan operas. It ran at for 672 performances,

      DRAMATIS PERSONAE

      THE MIKADO OF JAPAN.

      NANKI-POO (his Son, disguised as a wandering minstrel, and in love with Yum-Yum).

      KO-KO (Lord High Executioner of Titipu).

      POOH-BAH (Lord High Everything Else).

      PISH-TISH (a Noble Lord).

      Three Sisters—Wards of Ko-Ko:

      YUM-YUM

      PITTI-SING

      PEEP-BO

      KATISHA (an elderly Lady, in love with Nanki-Poo).

      Chorus of School-girls, Nobles, Guards, and Coolies.

      SCENES

      ACT I—Courtyard of Ko-Ko's Official Residence.

      ACT II— Ko-Ko's Garden

      MUSICAL NUMBERS

      Overture (Includes Mi-ya Sa-ma, The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze, There is Beauty in the Bellow of the Blast, Braid the Raven Hair and With Aspect Stern and Gloomy Stride) This was arranged, under Sullivan's direction, by Hamilton Clarke.

      ACT I

      1. If you want to know who we are (Chorus of Men)

      2. A Wand'ring Minstrel I (Nanki-Poo and Men)

      3. Our Great Mikado, virtuous man (Pish-Tush and Men)

      4. Young man, despair (Pooh-Bah, Nanki-Poo and Pish-Tush)

      4a. Recitative, And have I journey'd for a month (Pooh-Bah, Nanki-Poo)

      5. Behold the Lord High Executioner (Ko-Ko and Men)

      5a. As some day it may happen (I've Got a Little List) (Ko-Ko and Men)

      6. Comes a train of little ladies (Girls)

      7. Three little maids from school are we (Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, and Girls)

      8. So please you, Sir, we much regret (Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah, and Girls)

      9. Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted (Yum-Yum and Nanki-Poo)

      10. I am so proud (Pooh-Bah, Ko-Ko and Pish-Tush)

      11. Finale Act I (Ensemble)

      With aspect stern and gloomy stride

      The threatened cloud has passed away

      Your revels cease! ... Oh fool, that fleest my hallowed joys!

      For he's going to marry Yum-Yum

      The hour of gladness ... O ni! bikkuri shakkuri to!

      Ye torrents roar!

      ACT II

      12. Braid the raven hair" (Pitti-Sing and Girls)

      13. The sun whose rays are all ablaze (Yum-Yum) (Originally in Act I, moved to Act II after the opening night)

      14. Madrigal, Brightly dawns our wedding day (Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, Nanki-Poo and Pish-Tush)

      15. Here's a how-de-do (Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo and Ko-Ko)

      16. Mi-ya Sa-ma - From every kind of man obedience I expect (Mikado, Katisha, Chorus)

      17. A more humane Mikado (Mikado, Chorus)

      18. The criminal cried as he dropped him down (Ko-Ko, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah, Chorus)

      19. See how the Fates their gifts allot (Mikado, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah, Ko-Ko and Katisha)

      20. The flowers that bloom in the spring (Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko, Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, and Pooh-Bah)

      21. Recitative. and song, Alone, and yet alive (Katisha)

      22. On a tree by a river (Willow, tit-willow) (Ko-Ko)

      23. There is beauty in the bellow of the blast (Katisha and Ko-Ko)

      24. Finale Act II (Ensemble)

      For he's gone and married Yum-Yum

      The threatened cloud has passed away

      ACT I.

      SCENE.—Courtyard of Ko-Ko's Palace in Titipu.  Japanese nobles discovered standing and sitting in attitudes suggested by native drawings.

      CHORUS OF NOBLES

      If you want to know who we are,

      We are gentlemen of Japan:

      On many a vase and jar—

      On many a screen and fan,

      We figure in lively paint:

      Our attitude's queer and quaint—

      You're wrong if you think it ain't, oh!

      If you think we are worked by strings,

      Like a Japanese marionette,

      You don't understand these things:

      It is simply Court etiquette.

      Perhaps you suppose this throng

      Can't keep it up all day long?

      If that's your idea, you're wrong, oh!

      Enter NANKI-POO in great excitement.  He carries a native guitar on his back and a bundle of ballads in his hand.

      RECITATIVE—NANKI-POO

      Gentlemen, I pray you tell me

      Where a gentle maiden dwelleth,

      Named Yum-Yum, the ward of Ko-Ko?

      In pity speak, oh speak I pray you!

      A NOBLE 

      Why, who are you who ask this question?

      NANKI-POO    

      Come gather round me, and I'll tell you.

      SONG and CHORUS—NANKI-POO

      A wandering minstrel I—

      A thing of shreds and patches,

      Of ballads, songs and snatches,

      And dreamy lullaby!

      My catalogue is long,

      Through every passion ranging,

      And to your humours changing

      I tune my supple song!

      Are you in sentimental mood?

      I'll sigh with you,

      Oh, sorrow, sorrow!

      On maiden's coldness do you brood?

      I'll do so, too—

      Oh, sorrow, sorrow!

      I'll charm your willing ears

      With songs of lovers' fears,

      While sympathetic tears

      My cheeks bedew—

      Oh, sorrow, sorrow!

      But if patriotic sentiment is wanted,

      I've patriotic ballads cut and dried;

      For where'er our country's banner may be planted,

      All other local banners are defied!

      Our warriors, in serried ranks assembled,

      Never quail—or they conceal it if they do—

      And I shouldn't be surprised if nations trembled

      Before the mighty troops of Titipu!

      CHORUS  

      We shouldn't be surprised, etc.

      NANKI-POO    

      And if you call for a song of the sea,

      We'll heave the capstan round,

      With a yeo heave ho, for the wind is free,

      Her anchor's a-trip and her helm's a-lee,

      Hurrah for the homeward bound!

      CHORUS            

      Yeo-ho—heave ho—

      Hurrah for the homeward bound!

      To lay aloft in a howling breeze

      May tickle a landsman's taste,

      But the happiest hour a sailor sees

      Is when he's down

      At an inland town,

      With his Nancy on his knees, yeo ho!

      And his arm around her waist!

      CHORUS  

      Then man the capstan—off we go,

      As the fiddler swings us round,

      With a yeo heave ho,

      And a rum below,

      Hurrah for the homeward bound!

      A wandering minstrel I, etc.

      Enter PISH-TUSH.

      PISH-TUSH 

      And what may be your business with Yum-Yum?

      NANKI-POO 

      I'll tell you.  A year ago I was a member of the Titipu town band.  It was my duty to take the cap round for contributions.  While discharging this delicate office, I saw Yum-Yum.  We

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