Pinafore ran in London for 571 performances, the second longest run of any musical theatre piece in history up to that time ( after the operetta Les cloches de Corneville ).

Gilbert had referred to the new technology in Pinafore in 1878, only two years after the device was invented and before London even had telephone service.

Pinafore opens at the Opera Comique in London.

Pinafore, was a hit in London, over a hundred American companies quickly mounted unauthorised productions, often taking considerable liberties with the text and paying no royalties to the creators.

They offered the London and touring casts of Pinafore more money to play in their production, and although some choristers accepted their offer, only one principal player, Mr Dymott, accepted.

Alfred Cellier came to assist Sullivan, while his brother François remained in London to conduct Pinafore there.

At least one D ' Oyly Carte company, and sometimes as many as three, played Pinafore under Carte's aegis every year between 1878 and 1888, including its first London revival in 1887.

Pinafore debuts in London

Pinafore, London production

Pinafore, 1878, m Arthur Sullivan, lb W. S. Gilbert ( 571 in London ) ( first G & S smash hit and second longest-running piece of musical theatre in history until it was edged out by Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience in 1881.

Pinafore, the D ' Oyly Carte repertory and production system was cemented, and each opera would make use of these stock character types.

Pinafore in 1878. Business for the new opera was slow at first.

Pinafore was so successful that Carte soon sent two additional companies out to tour in the provinces.

After the success of Pinafore, Gilbert was eager to get started on the next opera, and he began working on the libretto in December 1878.

Pinafore was Gilbert and Sullivan's fourth operatic collaboration and their first international sensation.

The bright and cheerful music of Pinafore was composed during a time when Sullivan suffered from excruciating pain from a kidney stone.

She was under contract to play the role of Cousin Hebe in Pinafore.

By September, Pinafore was playing to full houses at the Opera Comique.

The extraordinary initial success of Pinafore in America was seen first-hand by J. C. Williamson.

Pinafore in " Cape Feare " was later included on the album Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons, and the song " The Very Reason That I Live " from " The Great Louse Detective " was included on The Simpsons: Testify.

His Cups and Saucers was revived and played with Pinafore and also played by the company on tour.

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

Pinafore in 1879 and two weeks later married the orchestra leader Harry Braham after she found she was pregnant.

As well as musicals, season's in the late 2000's usually saw a Shakespeare play in conjunction with the Watermill based Propeller company, directed by Edward Hall, often in a reinterpreted format, and a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, again a re-arranged version which may only superficially resemble the original, sometimes even the title was altered ( such as ' Pinafore Swing '; an actor musician version of HMS Pinafore with music arranged by Sarah Travis, and the more recent Hot Mikado ; a condensed actor musician version of the already existing Hot Mikado, which in turn is a jazzed up version of the Gilbert and Sullivan comedy opera The Mikado !).

In 1878 Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta HMS Pinafore, or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor was staged.

It has been claimed that Smith's appointment was the inspiration for the character of Sir Joseph Porter, KCB, in Gilbert and Sullivan's 1878 comic opera, H. M. S. Pinafore ).

" However, the character was seen as a reflection on Smith and even Disraeli was overheard to refer to his First Lord as " Pinafore Smith ".

It has been suggested that the Pinafore character was as much based on Smith's controversial predecessor as First Lord, Hugh Childers, as on Smith himself.

It produced full scale productions of popular musicals and operettas including Oklahoma !, Carousel, The Mikado, Guys and Dolls, The Pirates of Penzance, Me and My Girl, My Fair Lady, The Yeoman of the Guard, Gigi, Fiddler on the Roof, The Gondoliers, Anything Goes, The Merry Widow, Iolanthe, The Producers and HMS Pinafore.

Pinafore became a source of popular quotations on both sides of the Atlantic, such as the exchange:

The unauthorised juvenile productions of Pinafore were so popular that Carte mounted his own children's version, played at matinees at the Opera Comique beginning on 16 December 1879.

Pinafore and The Mikado, and adaptations of Karl Millöcker's operettas, such as Der Bettelstudent, or Franz von Suppé's Boccaccio, all of which became popular in America.

Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado, which became popular around the world.

Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado, that continue to be popular.

Pinafore, The Mikado and their other popular works.

During the run of Pinafore, Richard D ' Oyly Carte split up with his former investors.

In the winter of 1940 – 41, the D ' Oyly Carte Opera Company's scenery and costumes for Pinafore and three other operas were destroyed by German bombs during World War II.

The D ' Oyly Carte company performed Pinafore before Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family at Windsor Castle on 16 June 1977, during the queen's Silver Jubilee year, the first royal command performance of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera since 1891.

He has also created choreography for several productions in the Washington D. C. area including < i > Man of La Mancha </ i > for The Washington Savoyards, < i > Noël & Gertie </ i > for MetroStage, < i > Polaroid Stories </ i > for The Studio Theatre, < i > Jesus Christ Superstar </ i > for Open Circle Theatre ( 4 Helen Hayes Award nominations, including Outstanding Resident Musical ), < i > Dorothy Meets Alice </ i > and < i > Winnie The Pooh </ i > for Adventure Theatre, < i > Flora The Red Menace </ i > for 1st Stage, < i > Hollywood Pinafore </ i > for The American Century Theater and many other regional productions along the east coast.

Pinafore with the new D ' Oyly Carte Opera Company in 2002.

After promotional efforts by Carte and Sullivan, who included some of the Pinafore music in several promenade concerts at Covent Garden, Pinafore became a hit.

On 31 July 1879, the last day of their agreement with Carte, the directors of the Comedy Opera Company attempted to repossess the Pinafore set by force during a performance, causing a celebrated fracas.

To try to counter this copyright piracy and make some money from the popularity of their opera in America, Carte travelled to New York with the authors and the company to present an " authentic " production of Pinafore there, beginning in December 1879, as well as American tours.

Beginning with Pinafore, Carte licensed the J. C. Williamson company to produce the works in Australia and New Zealand.

In Pinafore, Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte used several of the principal cast members that they had assembled for The Sorcerer.

Carte put the matter beyond doubt by taking a six-month personal lease of the theatre beginning on 1 February 1879, the date of its re-opening, when Pinafore resumed.

Hoping to join in on the profits to be made in America from Pinafore, Carte left in June for New York to make arrangements for an " authentic " production there to be rehearsed personally by the author and composer.

Sullivan, as had been arranged with Carte and Gilbert, gave notice to the partners of the Comedy Opera Company in early July 1879 that he, Gilbert and Carte would not be renewing the contract to produce Pinafore with them and that he would be withdrawing his music from the Comedy Opera Company on 31 July.

In return, the Comedy Opera Company gave notice that they intended to play Pinafore at another theatre and brought a legal action against Carte and company.

Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte met by 24 April 1879 to make plans for a production of Pinafore in America.

Carte travelled to New York in the summer of 1879 and made arrangements with theatre manager John T. Ford to present, at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, the first authorised American production of Pinafore.

Shortly thereafter, Carte sent three touring companies around the United States East Coast and Midwest, playing Pinafore alongside Pirates.

Among the professional repertory companies continuing to present Pinafore regularly in the U. S. are Opera a la Carte, based in California, Ohio Light Opera and the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players, which tours the opera annually and often includes it in its New York seasons.

In 1879, he travelled with Gilbert, Sullivan, and Carte to America, where he acted as conductor for Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance, with Carte's first American touring company.