The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-25
Sir Arthur SuIllyanys Life

cA-clEA- spirits curing the Garner morn
ing, had breakfasted well and was IN
usually bright even to gayety. While In
the act Of Laughing and chatting he SUD
denly grew pale lifted one of his hands
as if 10 grasp at . support, and feu over
in his bed
Medical aid was summoned, but al
the physicians could dc after their ar
rival was 10 report what had been SAID
by the nurses-that the great musician
had ceased 10 live.
Since his return from the continent in
September. Sir Arlhur's medical attend
ants had hoped that he would recover.
Toward the end Of the summer the
stomach trouble, with which he had SUI
fered for years, became peculiarly weak
ening, and the composer left England Tor
the Riviera in the hope that a change
Of climate would be OF benefit. AT Paris
ne had 10 go TO bed and the journey
south was abandoned
Switzerland was next commended, and
a short visit was paid 10 that country.
There Sir Arthur suffered from q chill
which affected his lungs. Yet ii was not
suspected that the heart vas involved.
and il was still thought that ne would
regain MS strength. This ne appeared
TO do and was convaIescing nicely when
he suddenly succumbed to TIE colap Q
of the heart which caused his death
fact that his popular fame rests up lu
his lighter compositions, and especially
upon his work as writer &C ope a
bou1fe, was a thorough musician. III he
words of one OF the leading critics Of
the day. his music is as comic aud
lively as anything by Onenb2ch, while
it has the extra advantage OF bsing the
work OF a cultivated musician. who
would scorn to write ungramma-ically
even If he could
He had written cantatas and orat0rIos.
large number Of songs and sacrsd ma
sic Of divers characters, ard had earned
a considerable reputation when, in 1915,
he was accidentally thrown into c)n-
tact with W. s. Gilbert, the playwright
and humorist.
This fortunate meeting and its suisse
quent collaboration produced the long
series Of comic operas which FOR nearly
twenty-five years have made the names
of Sullivan and Gilbert renowned
throughout the world. ana have furnish
ed "a source of innocent merriment''
to hundreds of thousands.
/ On March %, 1875 the Trial by Jury"
the first Of the Sullvan-Gilbert extrsva-
ganzas, was produced at the Royalty
Theater London. Librerto and music
were admirably adapted to each other.
The authors had worked in perfect har-
mony. Sullivan to catch the spirit OF
Gilbert's humor, Gilbert to refashlon his
verses, when necessary, TO some espe-
cially catching air Of his musical part
ner. The opera scored big success.
Here was sparkling music united with
Hbretto which actually possessed 1T
erary merit in the order Of rich satire.
IT caught the general public. the inlet
tered masses and the cultured few
Following the "Trial by Jury came
4 This Sorcerer" with q very clever
Hbretto, but with music far below the
best that was in Sullivan. sdu It had
a fine run and permanently estabusheI
Mr. Gilbert's reputation as the sharpest
writer Of satrical dialogue since the IA
nous Henry Carey. It ran for Us nights
at the Strand.
But larger houses were in store for the
brilliant firm Of opera-makers. In 1878,
May 25 "Pinafore' the most successful
OF all comic operas, was brought out a.
the Opera Comique. London IN that
city It was performed 700 consecutive
nights almost squaling the famous run
Of Our Boys" It was played with the
same success In the provinces, Australia
and In Canada
In New York It was on the stage at
four different theaters ct the same time.
for months together. Hundreds OF com
panies in ali parts Of America were
singing it simultaneously and church
choirs in many cities-notably Chicago
and BostOn-were organized into t'Pina-
fore'' companies and sent out on the
road. The "Pfnafore" craze in America
brought Sullivan and Gilbert to the Unit
ted States in 1879 to protect their inter-
ests.
The craze was deep seated and long
lasting It is related that the words.
What never? Wen, hardly ever" be-
came a catch phrase so prevalent that Il
interfered with ordinary conversation
and disturbed the gravity Of courts In
session Of legislatures. and even of pull
pit orators who could not use the word
never" without causing a ripple of mer-
riment in the audience.
One eminent New York editor and pLas-
Usher, now dead. was compelled 10 for
bid the use of the phrase ia his paper
on pain Of instant dismissal He called
his force together. This thing occur
red said he, twenty times 10 as many
articles in yesterdays paper. Never Ter
1t be used again"
What. never?" chorused the staff
well, hardly ever" replied the
wretched man, surrendeung to the inev-
liable.
'Pinafore" was translated into Ger
man ard an attempt was made to pro
the German capital did not respond to
Gubert's political satire. The success Of
the piece was perhaps due more 20 Gill
berts wit than 70 Sullivan's music. but
both were 60 admirably COMBINED as 70
bring equal credit (and profits 70 botd
Of the creators
Almost as successful as "Pinafore"
We're the operas which followed it. These
were the Pirates Of Peuz1nce" in 1878
ward In London. where IL ran for 80
consecutive nights. Patience. which
was brought out IN 1851 and which ran
SIS nights; next came 'Ioianthe, Pm
cess Ida The Mikado Ruedvgore,
"Yeoman Of the Guard "The Condo
Hers, and THE Grand Duke
sullvan's most popular melody H The
Lost Chord The music constitutes
sweet translation into cCnc0rGant sound
Il the poem OF A1elal5e Proctor. Lp-
ward Of 5oo 900 copies o. THIS ere have
been sold in England alone.
The dead composer was destined FOR
musical career from his infancy. BE
was b0rn in London on 81ay 81. 1879 us
father was bauduaster ~ Eneaar Hais
q military school - music and young
sullivan early acquired proficiency IN
varaety & Instrument lie could per
form suterta5n-uEly % anything caaaae
~ emitting musical souods
III 1876 DE wen the MrCdelssorn scfo.-
srsair whsle be YVES choir h1r 81 gre
haael RcgaL 81 ISIS re-ers1 The
Leipsic Conservatory and s.d re-
Plat5v Hauprn1aun. Richter JuH Hi-z
ana oEoechee
Ia I1 be returned TO London ars ces
year ia5er rs mrse 10 Sake
Temper was pr11aced ~ fEe
Palace This performance 81 oaea
hu nlrh standing 81 he I-rs7n
seal vgre 1r5 WIS feus
nous sere ~Bra1 F z
THE works ne rcu nsal from