In 'HMS Pinafore' by Gilbert and Sullivan, the Captain wants his daughter 'Josephine' to marry 'Sir George Porter'. What position does 'Sir George' hold?
H.M.S. Pinafore intends her to marry Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty. She abides by her father's wishes at first, but Sir Joseph's advocacy of the equality of humankind encourages Ralph and Josephine to overturn conventional social order. They declare their love for each other and eventually plan to elope. The captain discovers this plan, but, as in many of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, a surprise disclosure changes things dramatically near the end of the story. Drawing on several of his earlier "Bab Ballad" poems, Gilbert imbued this plot with mirth and silliness. The opera's humour focuses on
Sir George Power, 7th Baronet Sir George Power, 7th Baronet Sir George Power, 7th Baronet (24 December 1846 – 17 October 1928) was an operatic tenor known for his performances in early Gilbert and Sullivan operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, most famously creating the roles in London of Ralph Rackstraw in "H.M.S. Pinafore" (1878) and Frederic in "The Pirates of Penzance" (1880). He later became a noted voice teacher and continued to perform, mostly at society events. On the death of his elder brother, in 1903, he became the seventh baronet of Kilfane. Power was born in Kilkenny, the fourth son of Sir