The Sorcerer's Apprentice him in his youth. It is, indeed, the oldest known variation of this tale type. While the similarities are so great as to make it obvious that Lucian was Goethe's inspiration, there are several minor differences: Similar themes (such as the power of magic or technology turning against the insufficiently wise person invoking it) are found in many traditions and works of art: Following Goethe's poem and Dukas' symphonic piece and the film "Fantasia", the term "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" has had numerous iterations as the title of various media pieces. These include several novels and nonfiction books, including novels by
The Sorcerer Barnett, conducted by Alfred Cellier, although unauthorised productions had appeared by 1879. In the early years of the 20th century, however, "The Sorcerer" gradually fell out of favour in Britain. As discussed below, it draws on an older theatrical tradition and satirises social and operatic conventions that are less accessible to modern audiences than the ones explored in the more famous G&S works starting with "H.M.S. Pinafore". The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, which had exclusive rights to the opera in Britain, dropped "The Sorcerer" in 1901, and its principal repertory company did not play the piece again until 1916, after