It was 'H.M.S. Pinafore', or 'The Lass that Loved a Sailor' that established Gilbert and Sullivan as a creative force to be reckoned with in British comic theatre. Gilbert's libretto has everything necessary for their type of farce - Josephine is being courted by two men, one a sailor (Ralph Rackstraw) and the other the Admiral of the British Navy (Sir Joseph Porter). To make things more complicated, of course, a former nurse exchanged the two as babies many years earlier...

Aside from this promising plot, Sullivan's music was mainly responsible for the long-term success of 'H.M.S. Pinafore'. From the opening sailors' chorus to Little Buttercup's simple aria, the show abounds with unforgettable tunes. The most popular number from the show is the second-act Trio, 'Never Mind the Why and Wherefore.' This is the Schirmer edition of the Libretto with all dialogue.

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