W. S. Gilbert – författare

Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas are some of the world’s best-loved musical works, delighting audiences with their joyous wit, topsy-turvy logic and extravagant wordplay. This glorious treasury is the definitive annotated edition of all fourteen of their operas. From the partially lost work Thespis, the first collaboration between W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, through the triumphant comic romps The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado, to lesser-performed gems such as the fanciful The Sorcerer and the acerbic lampoon Patience, Gilbert’s libretti are collected here in their most accurate and faithful form. There is a fascinating commentary on each work, telling the extraordinary stories behind the inspiration for the opera and its performance history, and giving plot summaries and original cast lists.

W. S. Gilbert, renowned author of the Savoy Operas, was also the creator of the Bab Ballads--"possibly the best comic verse--and surely the best illustrated--in the English language," according to James Ellis. Gilbert published these poems, together with his own, grotesque drawings signed "Bab," a childhood nickname, in Fun and other magazines in the late nineteenth century. In 1898, the older and by then distinguished Gilbert substituted pallid and inoffensive drawings for the originals, which he had come to believe "erred gravely in the direction of unnecessary extravagance." Since then the ballads have been collected and published in various editions, most of which have featured the revised drawings and only a selection of the poems. This is the only book to offer the complete collection of ballads with all original illustrations, a tribute to the comic genius of a writer known as "the most original dramatist of his generation." This collection will delight readers with its irreverence and wit.

The king of Utopia tries to turn his small nation into a more civilized society by implementing six pillars of change led by six Englishmen. Unfortunately, his new and improved rules cause more harm than good. King Paramount plans to make noticeable changes to his South Pacific nation. When his eldest daughter, Princess Zara, returns from studying abroad, she brings six Englishmen of distinction. Called the Flowers of Progress, they help aid the king in his efforts to transform the government. The Utopian citizens adapt to their new way of life eliminating crime, sickness and poverty. Without these societal ills, the people suddenly encounter different problems that require a better solution. Utopia, Limited is a satire of British colonization and its impact on smaller countries. It debuted in 1893 and produced more than 240 performances. Gilbert and Sullivan deliver a grand story with a vibrant locale and captivating characters. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Utopia, Limited is both modern and readable.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

Bunthorne is an aesthetic poet struggling with the legitimacy of his work and the female adoration it brings, when one woman suddenly rejects his advances. Patience; or, Bunthorne’s Bride is a satire of an artistic movement and the superficial pressures it may bring. The poet Bunthorne is extremely popular among his male and female peers. He’s the object of desire for many maidens, although only one catches his eye. Patience is a milkmaid who is uninterested in Bunthorne’s work or status. She wants to fall in love with a man, unselfishly, without fame or titles. She and Bunthorne make a rocky connection that may be doomed before it even begins. Meanwhile, the other women look for partners with varying success. Patience; or, Bunthorne’s Bride is a brilliant commentary on the vanity of romance in art. Gilbert and Sullivan deliver earnest characters with strong views in absurdist situations. This is a unique narrative that fits a bold story in a two-act structure. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Patience; or, Bunthorne’s Bride is both modern and readable.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

When a pirate’s apprentice tries to leave the high seas and build a new life, his hopes are dashed when a secret comes to light. The man’s plans are shattered as he’s forced to return to his old stomping grounds. Frederic is a 21-year-old who has spent his life working as a pirate’s apprentice. Now an adult, he’s free from his commitment and able to venture out on his own. He eventually stumbles across a group of women including the beautiful Mabel. They immediately fall in love and plan to spend their lives together. Unfortunately, Frederic discovers that his birthday, Feb. 29 of every leap year, allows for a loophole in his apprenticeship. He is suddenly thrust back into the world of piracy to serve a new sentence, while Mabel waits on the other side. The Pirates of Penzance is a story about sacrifice and personal responsibility. Despite a clear misunderstanding, Frederic proves to be a man of his word. This is a heartfelt tale full of misdirects and love delayed. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Pirates of Penzance is both modern and readable.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

As a child, Casilda is married to Barataria’s future king, yet when she returns as an adult, her husband is nowhere to be found. The heir has been living in hiding with his true parentage forgotten. Marco and Giuseppe are two gondoliers eager to choose their respective brides. Their plans are disrupted when they learn one of them is already married. Years ago, the heir of Barataria was secretly wed to an infant girl called Casilda. Now a woman, Casilda has been named queen but is without her king. Unfortunately, the true heir was taken from his royal home and raised in secret. Both gondoliers fit the description, but only one can ascend to the throne. The Gondoliers, also known as The King of Barataria, is one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most successful collaborations. It’s a humorous story with fairy tale elements and topical themes such as identity, honor and duty. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Gondoliers is both modern and readable.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

A Sensation Novel (1871) is a comic musical by W. S. Sullivan. First performed at the Royal Gallery of Illustration in January 1871, A Sensation Novel is one of Gilbert’s collaborations with composer Thomas German Reed, whose German Reed Entertainments have been credited with revitalizing British theatre. As a satire of Victorian sensation novels that employs self-aware stock characters, the play is a metatheatrical work that anticipates Luigi Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author (1921), predating it by half a century. Lamenting his loss of creative energy, an author appeals to the Spirit of Romance for guidance. Appearing before him, the Spirit reveals a shocking truth: the characters he has been working on are actually the souls of sinners condemned to play their polar opposites for eternity. Not only this, but the characters will soon become real. In a panic, the author flees his home for a time. When he returns, he finds the figures who filled the pages of his novel have taken control of their destinies, defying his restrictions and reveling in the chance to be alive. A story of romance, adventure, and crime ensues, blending the popular themes of the era’s sensation novels for comic effect while investigating the nature of creativity itself. This edition of W. S. Gilbert’s A Sensation Novel is a classic work of English literature reimagined for modern readers.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.