Very little information is available on the non Gilbert and Sullivan curtain raisers and other companion pieces used at the Savoy and by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company on tour in their early years. Rollins and Witts give a brief list at the back of their compilation, and there are passing references to some of the pieces by Adair-Fitzgerald and others. This pamphlet is intended to give some more data which may be of use and interest to the G&S fraternity. It is not intended to be the last word on the subject, but rather the first, and it is hoped that it will provoke further investigation. Perhaps it may inspire others to make exhaustive searches in libraries for the missing scores and libretti.

Sources:

Cyril Rollins & R. John Witts: 1962. The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas.

Cyril Rollins & R. John Witts: 1971. The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Gilbert and Sullivan Operas. Second Supplement. Privately printed. p. 19.

J.P. Wearing: 1976. The London Stage, 1890-1899. 2 vols.

J.P. Wearing: 1981. The London Stage, 1900-1909. 2 vols.

Allardyce Nicoll: 1959. A History of English Drama 1660-1900, vol. 5. Late Nineteenth Century Drama 1850-1900.

Kurt Ganzl: 1986. The British Musical Theatre. 2 vols.

S.J. Adair-Fitzgerald: 1924. The Story of the Savoy Opera.

Selwyn Tillett: 1987, in "Ruddigore: A Booklet to Commemorate the Centenary of the First Performance."

Cyril Rollins (pers. comm.)

Scores, programmes & libretti in the British Library, in the compilers' collections and in the possession of Victor Golding and Ian Bond.

License copies of libretti in the Lord Chamberlain's collection, now housed in the British Library, to the staff of which we extend grateful thanks.

The Theatre Museum, London.

According to F.W. Wilson, the Pierpont Morgan Library has no copies of printed libretti, scores or band parts of any of these pieces.

THE PLAYS