1900–1905 A Gilbert without a Sullivan

The exact circumstances of Arthur Sullivan's dying moments are uncertain. Out of respect to Sullivan, the Savoy Theatre was closed on the evening of his death. Both Richard D'Oyly Carte and Helen Carte were deeply saddened at the news, and sympathized with Fanny Ronalds. Later on, nothing had come of William Gilbert's suggestion of a new libretto based on The Wicked World and its all-female chorus. Carte had not been impressed with the idea, and possibly he was not happy to put on a new piece by Gilbert without Sullivan. A piece by Sullivan was another matter, and he commissioned him to write...

The exact circumstances of Arthur Sullivan's dying moments are uncertain. Out of respect to Sullivan, the Savoy Theatre was closed on the evening of his death. Both Richard D'Oyly Carte and Helen Carte were deeply saddened at the news, and sympathized with Fanny Ronalds. Later on, nothing had come of William Gilbert's suggestion of a new libretto based on The Wicked World and its all-female chorus. Carte had not been impressed with the idea, and possibly he was not happy to put on a new piece by Gilbert without Sullivan. A piece by Sullivan was another matter, and he commissioned him to write an opera with the book supplied by Comyns Carr and Arthur Pinero. Blocked in one direction, Gilbert moved to his next work, The Fortune Hunter, a play originally commissioned by Edward Willard; but as the work progressed, Willard had misgivings.