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Princess Ida

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

The Princess (Tennyson)

Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant, is the eighth operetta written by Gilbert and Sullivan. It opened at the Savoy Theatre on January 5, 1884, and enjoyed a run of 246 performances. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikisource is a sister project to Wikipedia that aims to create a free wiki library of primary source texts, and translations of source texts in any language. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Abraham Lincoln Aristotle Ayn Rand Adolf Hitler Al Gore A Modest Proposal Articles of Confederation Arthur Schopenhauer Albert Einstein Amhrán na bhFiann Arthur Conan Doyle Ada programming language Antarctic Treaty System Andrew Jackson Andrew Johnson Adam Smith Bill Clinton Bible... Wikisource is a sister project to Wikipedia that aims to create a free wiki library of primary source texts, and translations of source texts in any language. ... Operetta (literally, little opera) is a performance art-form similar to opera, though it generally deals with less serious topics. ... Playwright/lyricist William S. Gilbert (1836-1911) and composer Arthur S. Sullivan (1842-1900) defined operetta in Victorian England with a series of their internationally successful and timeless works known as the Savoy Operas. ... Savoy Theatre London, December 2003 The Savoy Theatre, which opened on 10 October 1881, was built by Richard DOyly Carte (1844 - 1901) on the site of the old Savoy Palace in London as a showcase for the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, which became known as the Savoy Operas... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1884 is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar). ...

Princess Ida is based on Tennyson's poem The Princess. Gilbert had written a blank verse parody of the same material in 1870. According to biographer Hesketh Pearson, he lifted parts of the dialogue from the earlier work into the operetta. Princess Ida therefore became the only Gilbert and Sullivan work entirely in blank verse (as Trial by Jury was the only G&S operetta entirely set to music), and it is the only one in three acts. Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (August 6, 1809 - October 6, 1892) is generally regarded as one of the greatest English poets. ... Blank verse is a type of poetry, distinguished by having a regular meter, but no rhyme. ... Edward Hesketh Gibbons Pearson ( February 20, 1887 - April 9, 1964) was an English actor, theatre director and writer. ... The jury trial (not to be confused with grand jury proceedings or trial by jury) is a bench trial wherein the Judge uses a jury to advise him on the facts while he determines the law. ...

The operetta satirizes feminism and women's colleges, both of which were controversial topics in conservative Victorian England. Satire is a literary technique of writing or art which principally ridicules its subject (individuals, organizations, states) often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change. ... Feminism is a diverse collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies. ... In higher education, particularly in the United States, a womens college is a college (that is, a primarily undergraduate, bachelors degree_granting institution) whose students are exclusively women. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, June 20, 1837) gave her name to the historic era. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Ethnicity...

Princess Ida is an interesting operetta with lovely music, particularly a sequence of songs in Act II known as "Sullivan's string of pearls". However, between the comments made by characters in the operetta and its simplistic resolution, it is clearly a backlash against feminism's earliest incarnation. But Gilbert also satirizes the foolishness of men, and audiences generally do not take the anti-feminism seriously.

Plot

Act 1

In a pavillion at King Hildebrand's Palace, courtiers, their ladies, and soldiers wait expectantly for the arrival of Princess Ida from across the water. Princess Ida and Prince Hilarion were betrothed in infancy - when Ida was only one year old and Prince Hilarion was only two years old. Prince Hilarion, who is in love with Princess Ida, is worried about changes which might have been wrought by the passing of twenty years. He comments to his father, King Hildebrand, that he thinks he sees Ida now, in his "mind's eye" that is, at his and Ida's betrothal. Betrothal is a formal state of engagement to be married. ...

However, on the day that Princess Ida is supposed to meet her betrothed, Ida's father, King Gama, and her brothers Arac, Guron and Scynthius, arrive at Hildebrand's Palace without her, with King Gama saying that Princess Ida was at Castle Adamant, one of his many country houses. Princess Ida is a young woman who dismisses men entirely and she has formed a women's college at Castle Adamant, where no man is ever to set foot, and there Princess Ida teaches one hundred girls. King Hildebrand arranges that Prince Hilarion to go to Princess Ida to claim her as his bride. Meanwhile, King Gama and his sons are to remain at Hildebrand's Palace as hostages. Hilarion decides to take his friends Cyril and Florian with him, and tells them that he would employ gentler means to win Ida's love for himself.

Act 2

Prince Hilarion and his friends Cyril and Florian invade Princess Ida's college, so that Hilarion can claim Ida's "plighted love". The three men laugh at the very concept: "A woman's college – maddest folly going!". Finding some discarded academic robes, Hilarion, Florian and Cyril disguise themselves as 'three young maidens wishing to join the university', and are welcomed to the college by Princess Ida. Florian's sister, Lady Psyche is a Professor there, and the men decide to reveal who they are to her. Melissa, who is the daughter of Lady Blanche (another Professor), overhears what is said, and falls in love with Florian, and Florian falls in love with her. Melissa promises not to tell anybody that they are men. When Lady Psyche, Melissa and the three men are celebrating joyously the discovery that men were not the monsters which Princess Ida had claimed they were, Lady Blanche overhears them, but she is talked out of revealing the truth to Princess Ida, by Melissa, because, if Ida were to marry Hilarion, then she (Lady Blanche) would be able to fulfil her ambitions and rule the university in Princess Ida's stead. All goes well until Cyril's unmaidenly behavior unmasks the friends as intruding men. Princess Ida falls into the water and nearly drowns, but she is rescued by Prince Hilarion. Even though she is grateful to be saved, Princess Ida condemns Prince Hilarion, Cyril and Florian to death. King Hildebrand and his soldiers then arrive, with Arac, Guron and Scynthius in chains, and Hildebrand demands that Ida give herself to Hilarion, or that she would incur the guilt of fratricide. Although Ida has, by now, fallen in love with Hilarion, and even though he had saved her life, she states that she would rather die than to be his bride. King Hildebrand gives Princess Ida until the following afternoon to change her mind, and Ida remains defiant. Fratricide is the act of a person killing their brother. ...

Act 3

The students at Ida's college prepare to meet Hildebrand's soldiers in battle. However, although they give the appearance of being fearless with respect to the impending battle, the terrified girls would rather have a peaceful life with no fighting. Princess Ida is disgusted with the girls and vows to meet the warriors alone. King Gama arrives and pleads with Ida to relent, saying that his sons would fight for her. Prince Hilarion, Cyril and Florian (who are still dressed in the academic robes), are brought before King Gama, Arac, Guron and Synthius. King Gama ridicules Hilarion and his friends for wearing women's clothes, to the fury of both Hilarion and Hildebrand. Hilarion and his friends fight King Gama's sons and the battle is quickly won by Hilarion, Cyril and Florian.

Princess Ida asks Lady Blanche if she (Ida) could resign her post with dignity, and if Blanche would run the college if she did so. Lady Blanche says yes to both questions. Princess Ida, who is aware of Lady Blache's ambitions, is not at all surprised by Lady Blanche's response.

Princess Ida relents and tells Hilarion that she loves him. She is still worried about becoming Hilarion's bride, but is persuaded to wed her prince when Hilarion's father, King Hildebrand, presents her with the following argument in response to her appeal to the gratitude of Posterity:

 If you enlist all women in your cause, And make them all abjure tyrannic Man, The obvious question then arises, "How Is this Posterity to be provided?" 

She replies, "I never thought of that!"

Cyril comments that Princess Ida could return to Castle Adamant, if she wearied of the Prince.

Princess Ida then asks Lady Psyche if she would find her there if she (Ida) were to return. Lady Psyche says: "If Cyril, ma'am, does not behave himself, I think you will".

When Princess Ida then asks Melissa if she would be there, Melissa states categorically: "Madam, however Florian turns out, unhesitatingly I answer, No!".

And so, with Princess Ida & Prince Hilarion, and their friends, Florian & Melissa, and Cyril & Lady Psyche looking adoringly at each other - and with the remaining college girls also paired off with Hildebrand's soldiers and Ida's brothers - all ends happily.

External link

• All the lyrics and dialogue, complete with sound