made additionally notable by the co-operation of Jenny Lind and the veteran Ignatz Moscheles. The sudden death of his father, on 22 Sept. 1866, furnished the promptings for the composition of his 'In Memoriam' overture, written for the Norwich musical festival, and first performed there 30 Oct. 1866. A concert for violoncello and orchestra was performed (the solo part played by Signor Piatti) at the Crystal Palace concert of 24 Nov.
The chief event of this eventful year (1866) was the beginning of Sullivan's comic opera career. His first venture in this extraordinarily successful field of artistic creativeness was 'Cox and Box: a new Triumviretta, an adaptation by Mr. F. C. Burnand of the well-known farce by Maddison Morton [q.v.], 'Box and Cox,' made still more comic by Mr. Burnand's interpellations, and set by Sullivan 'with a brightness and a drollery which at once placed him in the highest rank as a comic composer.' This amusing piece was privately performed at the residences of Mr. Burnand and Mr. Arthur J. Lewis (the latter on 27 April 1867), and in public at the Adelphi Theatre on 11 May 1867, at a benefit performance organised by the staff of 'Punch' for their late colleague, C. H. Bennett. 'Contrabandista' (libretto also by Mr. Burnand) followed in December. Then came a pause till the production of 'Thespis, or the Gods grown old; an operatic extravaganza,' libretto by Mr. W. S. Gilbert (Gaiety Theatre, 26 Dec. 1871). This work was important in that it furnished the first fruits of that remarkable Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration which for nearly thirty years was extraordinarily prolific in results, and in fact inaugurated a new era in comic opera in this country. Its landmarks, so to speak, may be indicated by 'Trial by Jury' (1875), 'H.M.S. Pinafore' (1878), and 'The Mikado' (1885), the most popular of the series. In 'Trial by Jury' the composer's brother Frederick distinguished himself in the part of the Judge, and this comicality, by introducing the late Richard D'Oyly Carte as manager, initiated what may be called the Savoy Triumvirate—Gilbert, Sullivan, Carte. On 10 Oct. 1881 the Savoy Theatre, built by D'Oyly Carte specially for the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, was opened. A complete list of these works, with places and dates of their production, will be found at the end of this article.
To return to the more serious side of Sullivan's career, an overture, 'Marmion,' was commissioned by the Philharmonic Society and first performed at their concert of 3 June 1867. In the same month he became the first organist and choirmaster of St. Peter's church, Cranley Gardens, Kensington (consecrated 29 June 1867). This post he held for a short time concurrently with that of St. Michael's, Chester Square; but early in 1872 he entirely relinquished his ecclesiastical offices. These appointments, however, were largely the means of bringing into existence his anthems, hymn tunes, and other sacred music. In October 1867 he visited Vienna in company with his friend Sir George Grove [q.v. Suppl.], an expedition made memorable by the discovery of some valuable manuscripts of Schubert (Hellborn, Life of Franz Schubert, English transl., with appendix by George Grove, ii. 297).
As Sullivan had now fully established his reputation as a composer, it is not surprising that commissions began to reach him. For the Worcester musical festival of 1869 he composed his first oratorio, 'The Prodigal Son,' Sims Reeves [q.v. Suppl.] taking the principal part on its production on 8 Sept. The Birmingham festival of the following year brought forth his 'Overture di Ballo' (performed 31 Aug. 1870), 'which, while couched throughout in dance-rhythms, is constructed in perfectly classical forms.' In the spring of this year he delivered at the South Kensington Museum a course of lectures (illustrated by part singing) on the 'Theory and Practice of Music,' in connection with a scheme entitled 'Instruction in Science and Art for Women.' For the opening of the International Exhibition on 1 May 1871, he composed the cantata 'On Shore and Sea' (words by Tom Taylor), and exactly a year later his festival 'Te Deum,' to celebrate the recovery of King Edward VII, then prince of Wales, from his serious illness, was performed at the Crystal Palace by two thousand executants in the presence of thirty thousand people. In November of the same year he became the first conductor of the Royal Amateur Orchestral Society. His second oratorio, 'The Light of the World,' was composed for the Birmingham festival of 1873, and first performed 27 Aug. In the following year he edited the musical section of 'Church Hymns, with Tunes,' published by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge. At Manchester, on 26 Feb. 1874, after a performance of 'The Light of the World' he was presented with an old English silver goblet and a purse containing 200l. In July 1874 he was appointed conductor of the Royal Aquarium orchestra: this post he held till May 1876. His other conducting engagements, in addition to those
