Gilbert and Sullivan well, and on 13 May 1883, at a party to celebrate the composer's 41st birthday, the guests, including the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), heard a direct relay of parts of "Iolanthe" from the Savoy. This was probably the first live "broadcast" of an opera. During the run of "Iolanthe", in 1883, Sullivan was knighted by Queen Victoria. Although it was the operas with Gilbert that had earned him the broadest fame, the honour was conferred for his services to serious music. The musical establishment, and many critics, believed that this should put an end to his career as
Gilbert J. Sullivan Gilbert J. Sullivan Gilbert J. "Gilly" Sullivan (born July 5, 1928 in Fredericksburg, VA, died January 5, 2009 in Charlottesville, VA) was the longtime director of the University of Virginia Alumni Association for 35 years. Appointed to the position in 1958 after the retirement of J. Malcolm "Mack" Luck, Sullivan remained in the position until his retirement in 1993. During his years at the Alumni Association, he helped develop the Virginia Student Aid Foundation (now the Virginia Athletics Foundation) and significant expansion of the Jefferson Scholars Program. Sullivan attended the University as an undergraduate and received his B.S. in Commerce