The Princess (W. S. Gilbert play) College, the first university-level women's college in Britain, had been established at the University of Cambridge in 1869. However, by the time Gilbert and Sullivan collaborated on "Princess Ida" in 1883, a women's college was a well-established concept. Westfield College, London's first women's college, had opened in 1882 and is cited as a model for Castle Adamant, the women's college in "Princess Ida". The lyrics to the songs in "The Princess" were set to popular tunes from popular operetta and grand opera of the time, including works by Hervé and Jacques Offenbach. The three young men are played by women,
Gilbert and Sullivan a Gilbert and Sullivan opera, such as in the film "The Girl Said No". There are also a number of Gilbert and Sullivan biographical films, such as Mike Leigh's "Topsy-Turvy" (2000) and "The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan" (1953), as well as shows about the partnership, including a 1938 Broadway show, "Knights of Song" and a 1975 West End show called "Tarantara! Tarantara!" It is not surprising, given the focus of Gilbert on politics, that politicians and political observers have often found inspiration in these works. Chief Justice of the United States William Rehnquist added gold stripes to his judicial