THE 14 GILBERT AND SULLIVAN PLAYS
By William S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan
William S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan collaborated on 14 operas in the period from 1871 to 1896.
CONTENTS
THE GONDOLIERS
ACT I
ACT II
THE GRAND DUKE
ACT I.
ACT II.
H.M.S. PINAFORE
ACT I
ACT II
IOLANTHE
ACT I
ACT II
THE MIKADO
ACT I.
ACT II.
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
ACT I
ACT II
PRINCESS IDA
ACT I.
ACT II
ACT III
RUDDIGORE
ACT I
ACT II
THE SORCERER
ACT I.
ACT II
THESPIS
ACT I
ACT II
TRIAL BY JURY
UTOPIA LIMITED
ACT I.
ACT II
THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD
ACT I
ACT II
PATIENCE
ACT I
ACT II
THE GONDOLIERS OR
THE KING OF BARATARIA
Libretto by William S. Gilbert
Music by Arthur S. Sullivan
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
THE DUKE OF PLAZA-TORO (a Grandee of Spain) LUIZ (his attendant) DON ALHAMBRA DEL BOLERO (the Grand Inquisitioner)
Venetian Gondoliers MARCO PALMIERI GIUSEPPE PALMIERI ANTONIO FRANCESCO GIORGIO ANNIBALE
THE DUCHESS OF PLAZA-TORO CASILDA (her Daughter)
Contadine GIANETTA TESSA FIAMETTA VITTORIA GIULIA
INEZ (the King's Foster-mother)
Chorus of Gondoliers and Contadine, Men-at-Arms, Heralds and Pages
ACT I The Piazzetta, Venice
ACT II Pavilion in the Palace of Barataria
(An interval of three months is supposed to elapse between Acts I and II)
DATE 1750
ACT I Scene.— the Piazzetta, Venice. The Ducal Palace on the right.
Fiametta, Giulia, Vittoria, and other Contadine discovered, each tying a bouquet of roses.
CHORUS OF CONTADINE.
List and learn, ye dainty roses, Roses white and roses red, Why we bind you into posies Ere your morning bloom has fled. By a law of maiden's making, Accents of a heart that's aching, Even though that heart be breaking, Should by maiden be unsaid: Though they love with love exceeding, They must seem to be unheeding— Go ye then and do their pleading, Roses white and roses red!
FIAMETTA.
Two there are for whom in duty, Every maid in Venice sighs— Two so peerless in their beauty That they shame the summer skies. We have hearts for them, in plenty, They have hearts, but all too few, We, alas, are four-and-twenty! They, alas, are only two! We, alas!
CHORUS. Alas!
FIA. Are four-and-twenty, They, alas!
CHORUS. Alas!
FIA. Are only two.
CHORUS. They, alas, are only two, alas! Now ye know, ye dainty roses, Roses white and roses red, Why we bind you into posies, Ere your morning bloom has fled, Roses white and roses red!
(During this chorus Antonio, Francesco, Giorgio, and other Gondoliers have entered unobserved by the Girls—at first two, then two more, then four, then half a dozen, then the remainder of the Chorus.)
SOLI.
FRANC. Good morrow, pretty maids; for whom prepare ye These floral tributes extraordinary?
FIA. For Marco and Giuseppe Palmieri, The pink and flower of all the Gondolieri.
GIU. They're coming here, as we have heard but lately, To choose two brides from us who sit sedately.
ANT. Do all you maidens love them?
ALL. Passionately!
ANT. These gondoliers are to be envied greatly!
GIOR. But what of us, who one and all adore you? Have pity on our passion, we implore you!
FIA. These gentlemen must make their choice before you;
VIT. In the meantime we tacitly ignore you.
GIU. When they have chosen two that leaves you plenty— Two dozen we, and ye are four-and-twenty.
FIA. and VIT. Till then, enjoy your dolce far niente.
ANT. With pleasure, nobody contradicente!
SONG—ANTONIO and CHORUS.
For the merriest fellows are we, tra la, That ply on the emerald sea, tra la; With loving and laughing, And quipping and quaffing, We're happy as happy can be, tra la— With loving and laughing, etc.
With sorrow we've nothing to do, tra la, And care is a thing to pooh-pooh, tra la; And Jealousy yellow, Unfortunate fellow, We drown in the shimmering blue, tra la— And Jealousy yellow, etc.
FIA. (looking off). See, see, at last they come to make their choice— Let us acclaim them with united voice. (Marco and Giuseppe appear in gondola at back.)
CHORUS (Girls). Hail, hail! gallant gondolieri, ben venuti! Accept our love, our homage, and our duty. Ben' venuti! ben' venuti!
(Marco and Giuseppe jump ashore—the Girls salute them.)
DUET—MARCO and GIUSEPPE, with CHORUS OF GIRLS.
MAR. and GIU. Buon' giorno, signorine!
GIRLS. Gondolieri carissimi! Siamo contadine!
MAR. and GIU. (bowing). Servitori umilissimi! Per chi questi fiori— Questi fiori bellissimi?
GIRLS. Per voi, bei signori O eccellentissimi!
(The Girls present their bouquets to Marco and Giuseppe, who are overwhelmed with them, and carry them with difficulty.)
MAR. and GIU. (their arms full of flowers). O ciel'! O ciel'!
GIRLS. Buon' giorno, cavalieri!
MAR. and GIU. (deprecatingly). Siamo gondolieri.
(To Fia. and Vit.) Signorina, io t' amo!
GIRLS. (deprecatingly). Contadine siamo.
MAR. and GIU. Signorine!
GIRLS (deprecatingly). Contadine!
(Curtseying to Mar. and Giu.) Cavalieri.
MAR. and GIU. (deprecatingly). Gondolieri! Poveri gondolieri!
CHORUS. Buon' giorno, signorine, etc.
DUET—MARCO and GIUSEPPE.
We're called gondolieri, But that's a vagary, It's quite honorary The trade that we ply. For gallantry noted Since we were short-coated, To beauty devoted, Giuseppe\Are Marco and I;
When morning is breaking, Our couches forsaking, To greet their awaking With carols we come. At summer day's nooning, When weary lagooning, Our mandolins tuning, We lazily thrum.
When vespers are ringing, To hope ever clinging, With songs of our singing A vigil we keep, When daylight is fading, Enwrapt in night's shading, With soft serenading We sing them to sleep.
We're called gondolieri, etc.
RECITATIVE—MARCO and GIUSEPPE.
MAR. And now to choose our brides!
GIU. As all are young and fair, And amiable besides,
BOTH. We really do not care A preference to declare.
MAR. A bias to disclose Would be indelicate—
GIU. And therefore we propose To let impartial Fate Select for us a mate!
ALL. Viva!
GIRLS. A bias to disclose Would be indelicate—
MEN. But how do they propose To let impartial Fate Select for them a mate?
GIU. These handkerchiefs upon our eyes be good enough to bind,
MAR. And take good care that both of us are absolutely blind;
BOTH. Then turn us round—and we, with all convenient despatch, Will undertake to marry any two of you we catch!
ALL. Viva! They undertake to marry any two of us\them they catch!
(The Girls prepare to bind their eyes as directed.)
FIA. (to Marco). Are you peeping? Can you see me?
MAR. Dark I'm keeping, Dark and dreamy!
(Marco slyly lifts bandage.)
VIT. (to Giuseppe). If you're blinded Truly, say so
GIU. All right-minded Players play so! (slyly lifts bandage).
FIA. (detecting Marco). Conduct shady! They are cheating! Surely they de- Serve a beating! (replaces bandage).
VIT. (detecting Giuseppe). This too much is; Maidens mocking— Conduct such is Truly shocking! (replaces bandage).
ALL. You can spy, sir! Shut your eye, sir! You may use it by and by, sir! You can see, sir! Don't tell me, sir! That will do—now let it be, sir!
CHORUS OF GIRLS. My papa he keeps three horses, Black, and white, and dapple grey, sir; Turn three times, then take your courses, Catch whichever girl you may, sir!
CHORUS OF MEN. My papa, etc.
(Marco and Giuseppe turn round, as directed, and try to catch the girls. Business of blind-man's buff. Eventually Marco catches Gianetta, and Giuseppe catches Tessa. The two girls try to escape, but in vain. The two men pass their hands over the girls' faces to discover their identity.)
GIU. I've at length achieved a capture! (Guessing.) This is Tessa! (removes bandage). Rapture, rapture!
CHORUS. Rapture, rapture!
MAR. (guessing). To me Gianetta fate has granted! (removes bandage). Just the very girl I wanted!
CHORUS. Just the very girl he wanted!
GIU. (politely to Mar.). If you'd rather change—
TESS. My goodness! This indeed is simple rudeness.
MAR. (politely to Giu.). I've no preference whatever—
GIA. Listen to him! Well, I never! (Each man kisses each girl.)
GIA. Thank you, gallant gondolieri! In a set and formal measure It is scarcely necessary To express our pleasure. Each of us to prove a treasure, Conjugal and monetary, Gladly will devote our leisure, Gay and gallant gondolieri. Tra, la, la, la, la, la, etc.
TESS. Gay and gallant gondolieri, Take us both and hold us tightly, You have luck extraordinary; We might both have been unsightly! If we judge your conduct rightly, 'Twas a choice involuntary; Still we thank you most politely, Gay and gallant gondolieri! Tra, la, la, la, la, la, etc.
CHORUS OF Thank you, gallant gondolieri; GIRLS. In a set and formal measure, It is scarcely necessary To express our pleasure. Each of us to prove a treasure Gladly will devote our leisure, Gay and gallant gondolieri! Tra, la, la, la, la, la, etc.