Conversation so far:
Where did Gilbert go to school?
W.S. Gillbert attended King's College London
When was Gilbert born?
on 18 November 1836
Where was Gilbert born on 18 November 1836?
in London
What did Gilbert's parents do?
His father William, was a naval surgeon, who became a writer of novels and short stories. Gilbert's mother was Anne Mary Bye Morris, the daughter of Thomas Morris, an apothecary
What was Gilbert's claim to fame?
the Bab Ballads
What was Gillbert's  first comic opera?
the comic opera Our Island Home

Question: Were the comic operas successful?
Self-contained rewrite: Were the comic operas by Gillbert successful?