Gilbert and Sullivan the theme from "Iolanthe" of the war between the sexes. The opera is based on Tennyson's poem "The Princess: A Medley". Gilbert had written a blank verse farce based on the same material in 1870, called "The Princess", and he reused a good deal of the dialogue from his earlier play in the libretto of "Princess Ida". "Ida" is the only Gilbert and Sullivan work with dialogue entirely in blank verse and is also the only one of their works in three acts. Lillian Russell had been engaged to create the title role, but Gilbert did not believe that she
The Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island Raymond J. Osnato and then several other conductors. The Company had occasionally recruited orchestras for performances in the 1960s and 1970s, but had never had an orchestra of its own. Beginning in 1992, however, the Company made it a priority to develop its own orchestra, beginning with a tiny ensemble of six and slowly growing with the passing years. Many of the orchestra members have returned again and again to the Light Opera Orchestra, which is now in its 12th year. 1992 also saw the launching of “The Savoy Project: or, Gilbert & Sullivan from A to Z.” Spurred by