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Quiz about Gilbert and Sullivan
Quiz about Gilbert and Sullivan

Gilbert and Sullivan Trivia Quiz


Gilbert and Sullivan wrote some very witty, if fiendishly hard to sing, lyrics. All you have to do is identify the song.

A multiple-choice quiz by Christinap. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
Christinap
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
371,217
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
330
Last 3 plays: Elspeth4617 (7/10), PosterMeerkat (9/10), snhha (10/10).
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. From "H.M.S. Pinafore", which song is this?

"I grew so rich that I was sent
By a pocket borough into Parliament.
I always voted at my party's call,
And I never thought of thinking for myself at all."
Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. From "The Pirates of Penzance" which song is this?

"I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse."
Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which song from "The Mikado" is this?

"Taken from the county jail
By a set of curious chances;
Liberated then on bail,
On my own recognizances."
Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Which song, from "Iolanthe" is this?

"The Law is the true embodiment
Of everything that's excellent.
It has no kind of fault or flaw,
And I, my Lords, embody the Law."
Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. This lyric is from "The Gondoliers". Which song is it?

"To help unhappy commoners, and add to their enjoyment
Affords a man of noble rank congenial employment;
Of our attempts we offer you examples illustrative
The work is light, and, I may add, it's most remunerative."
Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. "The Yeoman of the Guard" is set in sixteenth century England. Which featured song is this lyric from?

"In the autumn of our life,
Here at rest in ample clover,
We rejoice in telling over
Our impetuous May and June."
Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. "Trial by Jury" was the second Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. Which song contains this lyric?

"You'll soon get used to her looks," said he
"And a very nice girl you will find her
She may very well pass for forty-three
In the dusk, with a light behind her"
Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Which song in "Princess Ida" contains this lyric?

"I'm sure I'm no ascetic; I'm as pleasant as can be;
You'll always find me ready with a crushing repartee,
I've an irritating chuckle, I've a celebrated sneer,
I've an entertaining snigger, I've a fascinating leer."
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. "Ruddigore" has a song that explains much of the central plot. This lyric is from it, but what is the title?

"Once, on the village green,
A palsied hag he roasted,
And what took place, I ween,
Shook his composure boasted."
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. "Utopia, Limited" gives us this offering in which song?

"But as it is our Royal whim
Our Royal sails to set and trim
To suit whatever wind may blow -
What buffets contradiction deals
And how a thwarted monarch feels
We probably will never know."
Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 15 2024 : Elspeth4617: 7/10
Mar 02 2024 : PosterMeerkat: 9/10
Feb 24 2024 : snhha: 10/10
Jan 30 2024 : Guest 151: 7/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. From "H.M.S. Pinafore", which song is this? "I grew so rich that I was sent By a pocket borough into Parliament. I always voted at my party's call, And I never thought of thinking for myself at all."

Answer: When I was a lad

"H.M.S. Pinafore" was the fourth collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan. It opened in London in 1878 and was popular not only in England but also in America. Like many of their operettas it pokes fun at the establishment of the time, in particular the English class system.

"When I was a lad" charts the rise of Sir Joseph Porter from the time he joined a law firm in a position so lowly he "polished up the handle of the big front door", to becoming First Lord of the Admiralty. As he is at some pains to point out he accomplished all this without ever actually going to sea.
2. From "The Pirates of Penzance" which song is this? "I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical, I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical, About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news, With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse."

Answer: Major General

"Pirates of Penzance" opened in New York in 1879 where it was very well received by both critics and audiences. The London opening was in April 1880. It was their fifth collaboration, and is still often performed today. A 1981 production won the Tony award for Best Revival.

"Major General" has been much parodied, but lyrically it is a tour de force. Imagine having to not only memorise, but also enunciate clearly "In conics I can floor peculiarities parabolous".
3. Which song from "The Mikado" is this? "Taken from the county jail By a set of curious chances; Liberated then on bail, On my own recognizances."

Answer: Behold the Lord High Executioner

"The Mikado" was the ninth Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. It opened in London in 1885 and was so popular that it was estimated that by the end of that year some 150 separate productions were running worldwide. Set in Japan it was a thinly disguised satire of the British political system.

"Behold the Lord High Executioner" is the song sung by Ko-Ko and the chorus. Ko-Ko is in fact a criminal condemned to death for flirting, so, because he was next in line to be executed, the town of Titipu appointed him Executioner. He cannot execute anyone until he has executed himself, and suicide is a crime. With this resolution in place the residents of Titipu can safely flirt with each other to their hearts content.
4. Which song, from "Iolanthe" is this? "The Law is the true embodiment Of everything that's excellent. It has no kind of fault or flaw, And I, my Lords, embody the Law."

Answer: The law is the true embodiment

"Iolanthe", the seventh Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, was the first to premier at the Savoy Theatre. It opened in 1882, and, as the Savoy was the first theatre in London to be wired for electricity, the audience were treated to special effects such as sparkling fairy wands.

The plot centres on a dispute between a group of fairies and the House of Lords. As with many of their works it is also a lighthearted satire of the British legal and political system.

"The law is the true embodiment" is sung by a chorus of peers of the realm and the Lord Chancellor as they arrive to judge the case.
5. This lyric is from "The Gondoliers". Which song is it? "To help unhappy commoners, and add to their enjoyment Affords a man of noble rank congenial employment; Of our attempts we offer you examples illustrative The work is light, and, I may add, it's most remunerative."

Answer: To help unhappy commoners

"The Gondoliers" is the twelfth Gllbert and Sullivan comic opera. It is set partly in Venice and partly in a mythical kingdom ruled over by two gondoliers. It is a satire on class distinction, and by using a foreign setting the satire was able to be directed at the Monarchy itself. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre in 1889

"To help unhappy commoners" is sung by the Duke and Duchess of Plazo Toro in an attempt to educate the two gondoliers on proper etiquette and aristocratic behaviour.
6. "The Yeoman of the Guard" is set in sixteenth century England. Which featured song is this lyric from? "In the autumn of our life, Here at rest in ample clover, We rejoice in telling over Our impetuous May and June."

Answer: Tower Warders under orders

The eleventh of their fourteen collaborations saw Gilbert and Sullivan in a less comic mood. "The Yeoman of the Guard" ends with a broken hearted main character, and the satire and plot complications are much less than in other productions. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre in 1888.

"Tower Warders under orders" is sung by the yeoman (beefeaters) and in part reflects the easy life they now have compared to when they were on active military service.
7. "Trial by Jury" was the second Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. Which song contains this lyric? "You'll soon get used to her looks," said he "And a very nice girl you will find her She may very well pass for forty-three In the dusk, with a light behind her"

Answer: When I good friends was called to the bar

"Trial by Jury" opened in 1875. Although it was Gilbert and Sullivan's second collaboration, it was some three years after their first, "Thespis", which was written for a Christmas performance. Regrettably no published libretto of "Thespis" survives. "Trial by Jury" satirises the legal profession, a theme the two were to return to often. The plot revolves around a breach of promise prosecution.

"When I good friends was called to the bar" is sung by the judge, and recounts his rise in the legal profession. Much of this was down to marrying the somewhat ugly daughter of a rich attorney.
8. Which song in "Princess Ida" contains this lyric? "I'm sure I'm no ascetic; I'm as pleasant as can be; You'll always find me ready with a crushing repartee, I've an irritating chuckle, I've a celebrated sneer, I've an entertaining snigger, I've a fascinating leer."

Answer: If you give me your attention

The eighth Gilbert and Sullivan work was not as well received as their previous productions. There was no particular reason for this, as it embodied all the satire and wit they were known for, this time turned in the direction of feminism and women's education. It opened in January 1884 and closed earlier than planned.

"If you give me your attention" is sung by King Gama, who cannot understand why, with all he does for others, people tend to find him unpleasant.
9. "Ruddigore" has a song that explains much of the central plot. This lyric is from it, but what is the title? "Once, on the village green, A palsied hag he roasted, And what took place, I ween, Shook his composure boasted."

Answer: Sir Rupert Murgatroyd

"Ruddigore", number ten of the fourteen Gilbert and Sullivan collaborations, is high Victorian melodrama as far as the plot is concerned. It is set in a Cornish fishing village where a past Lord of the Manor hunted witches. A dying witch placed a curse on him which carries on down through the generations. With ghosts, a poor but virtuous maiden, and a villain who carries her off, it really did have everything.

"Sir Rupert Murgatroyd" is the song that explains how the curse came to be placed and the effect it has had down the years.
10. "Utopia, Limited" gives us this offering in which song? "But as it is our Royal whim Our Royal sails to set and trim To suit whatever wind may blow - What buffets contradiction deals And how a thwarted monarch feels We probably will never know."

Answer: A King of autocratic power we

This penultimate Gilbert and Sullivan offering was nowhere near as successful as their previous collaborations, and their final effort, "The Grand Duke", was a complete failure. "Utopia, Limited" satirised Limited Liability Companies, and in particular the fact that a bankrupt company could leave creditors unpaid with the owners having no liability at all. It also poked fun at the whole British Empire idea.

The King of Utopia sings "A King of autocratic power we" when he makes his first entrance.
Source: Author Christinap

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
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