Knowra The Mikado The Mikado The Mikado is an 1885 comic opera by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, set in a fictionalized Japan and satirizing Victorian British society through its comic characters and laws.
W. S. Gilbert : W. S. Gilbert was an English dramatist and librettist known for comic operas with Arthur Sullivan. He wrote the libretto, inventing the opera’s characters, plot, and satirical laws.
Savoy Theatre : The Savoy Theatre is a London theatre opened in 1881 and associated with Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operas. The Mikado premiered there, continuing the pair’s run of works at the venue.
The Mikado (character) : The Mikado is the Emperor of Japan and father of Nanki-Poo in Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera The Mikado. His decree against flirting creates the threat that Ko-Ko’s appointment is meant to manage.
Savoy opera : Savoy opera is a genre of English comic opera associated with the works staged at London’s Savoy Theatre. The Mikado became one of the best-known works in Gilbert and Sullivan’s theatrical partnership.
Arthur Sullivan : Arthur Sullivan was an English composer whose operas with W. S. Gilbert became known as the Savoy operas. His score gives the opera its contrasting comic songs, ensembles, and orchestral texture.
Japanism : Japanism is the influence of Japanese art and culture on Western art and design, especially during the late nineteenth century. Victorian interest in Japanese styles helped make the opera’s setting immediately legible to its first audiences.
Yum-Yum : Yum-Yum is a ward of Ko-Ko and the beloved of Nanki-Poo in The Mikado. Her engagement to Ko-Ko obstructs Nanki-Poo’s courtship and fuels the main romantic dilemma.
Three Little Maids from School : “Three Little Maids from School” is a trio sung by Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, and Peep-Bo in The Mikado. Its polished ensemble writing and memorable refrain made it a lasting favorite beyond the stage.
Ko-Ko : Ko-Ko is the Lord High Executioner of Titipu in Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera The Mikado. His attempts to evade his official duties drive much of the plot’s farce.
Japanese Village, Knightsbridge : The Japanese Village was a cultural exhibition in Knightsbridge, London, open from 1885 to 1887. Gilbert drew on its Japanese visitors and displays while developing the opera’s setting and staging.
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