It was 'H.M.S. Pinafore' or 'The Lass that Loved a Sailor' that established Gilbert and Sullivan as a creative force to be reckoned with in British comic theatre. Gilbert's libretto has everything necessary for their type offarce - Josephine is being courted by two men one a sailor (Ralph Rackstraw) and the other the Admiral of the British Navy (Sir Joseph Porter). To make things more complicated of course a former nurse exchanged the two asbabies many years earlier... Aside from this promising plot Sullivan's music was mainly responsible for the long-term success of 'H.M.S. Pinafore'. From the opening sailors' chorus to Little Buttercup's simple aria theshow abounds with unforgettable tunes. The most popular number from the show is the second-act Trio 'Never Mind the Why and Wherefore.' This is the Schirmer edition of the Libretto with all dialogue.
