Page "Opera Comique" Paragraph 5

In November 1877, the Comedy Opera Company, managed by Carte, took on the lease and returned to produce the première of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer, a proudly English comic opera, at the theatre.

This was followed in 1878 by the same team's patriotic H. M. S.

Pinafore, which became a nearly unprecedented hit, running for 571 performances.

During the performance on 31 July 1879, Carte's former business partners in the Comedy Opera Company ( with whom Carte, Gilbert and Sullivan had split ) tried to seize the set, creating a celebrated fracas.

Over Christmas 1878, during the run of Pinafore, the theatre was renovated and redecorated by E. W. Bradwell, reopening on 1 February 1879.

The theatrical newspaper, The Era commented, " We can hardly overpraise the beauty and grace of the Opera Comique as it now appears to the delighted audience.