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Princess Ida
Henry Bracy.jpeg
Welsh tenor Henry Bracy dressed as Hilarion
Written by W. S. Gilbert (words)
Arthur Sullivan (music)
Characters Princess Ida
Hilarion
King Gama
King Hildebrand
Cyril
Florian
Lady Blanche
Lady Psyche
Date of premiere 5 January 1884
Place of premiere Savoy Theatre
London, England
Original language English
Subject Gender roles
Women's education
Feminism
Evolution
Genre Operetta
Setting Women's college in the Middle Ages

Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant is a three-act operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan. It is the eighth of their fourteen operettas. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre in London, England on 5 January 1884. It had 246 performances, a short run compared with the team's other operettas. After the operetta closed, it was not revived in London until 1919.

Gilbert based Princess Ida on a play he wrote in 1870 called The Princess. This play was based, in turn, on The Princess, a long poem of 1847 by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Ida is the only Gilbert and Sullivan operetta in three acts. It is their only operetta to be written in blank verse.

Princess Ida was a great success with early audiences, but the critics did not like it. Sullivan told Gilbert three weeks after the opening that he would not write another comic opera, and it appeared their collaboration was over. Princess Ida has its roots in the work of a poet little read today, and its themes are somewhat dated. The operetta is not a modern audience favorite.

Story

In her babyhood, Princess Ida was betrothed to Prince Hilarion. In her young womanhood however, she has forsaken the company of men and has set up an all-female university. Hilarion and two of his friends, Cyril and Florian, gain entrance to the school disguised as women. They are discovered, and war ensues. As the casualties mount, Princess Ida relents and accepts Hilarion as her husband to be.

Images for kids

  • William Russell Flint - W. S. Gilbert - Savoy Operas - Princess Ida 5 (Frontispiece)

    W. Russell Flint illustration, 1909: luncheon scene Act II: Hilarion (disguised as a woman) speaks with Ida.

  • The Princess - W. S. Gilbert

    Scene from Gilbert's 1870 play, The Princess: Hilarion and his companions, disguised as women (but played by women impersonating men) meet Princess Ida and her students.

  • Ida men

    Bab illustration for Princess Ida

  • KingGamacostume1921

    Lytton as Gama, 1921

  • DarwinianManBehaved

    Illustration by Gilbert for the "Darwinian Man" song; compare with Darwin image above.

  • BarringonHild

    Rutland Barrington as Hildebrand, 1884

  • William Russell Flint - W. S. Gilbert - Savoy Operas - Princess Ida 1

    "I can tell a woman's age in half a minute – and I do!" (A line from King Gama's song, "If you give me your attention.")

  • Princess-Ida-1884

    Ida, Blanche and the students, 1884.

  • Gentlyida

    "Gently, Gently": 1884 illustration

  • Ida Group

    "Jump for Joy and Gaily Bound!" (from Act II)

  • Lawsonida1922

    Winifred Lawson as Princess Ida, 1922

  • Gently Gently

    "Gently, Gently": Darnton (Cyril, left), Oldham (Hilarion, right) and Granville (Florian), 1921

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Princess Ida para niños

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