Sullivan and Thomson, Gilbert and Stein

Abstract

O ne of the most significant aspects of nineteenth-century musical theatre in English today is its persistence as reflected in twentieth-century works. It is precisely the continuing influence in this century that fosters our interest in understanding its roots in the last. Decades of emphasis on revolt and novelty in twentieth-century art have obscured connections to the nineteenth century. Now that the sometimes self-serving battles for modernity, fought by artists and critics alike, have long since ended, we may permit ourselves to deal equally with important points of congruity. Doing so, we may identify basic features of musical theatre in English in addition to the more obvious and modish fashions that change from season to season. Also, we may isolate those ingredients related to the singularities of English speech. After all, it is the one unifying element.'