Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

a depressed state, full of remorse for having deceived the Pirates by telling them that he was an
orphan when such is not the case; and presently Frederic and Mabel appear, the former bidding
farewell to his sweetheart prior to setting out to exterminate the Pirates, in accordance with his
strong sense of duty, although he still cherishes great affection for them. When he is left alone the
Pirates appear, headed by the Pirate King, who comes to inform him that as the papers of his
indentures state that he is bound to serve the band until his twenty-first birthday, and that as he
was born on the 29th of February in Leap Year, he has not nearly served his time, and must return
to them. Frederic is full of dismay; but again his strong sense of duty prevails over all, and he
resolves to go back to his old life. He happens to mention to them that the MajorGenerals
statement to them that he was an orphan was only an excuse to obtain his freedom; and the Pirates
determine to be revenged. They accordingly return at midnight, intending to kidnap the Major-
General; but they are met by a comical company of policemen, who overcome them and are about
to march them all off to prison, when they announce that they are in reality English noblemen in
disguise, having taken up piracy when things went wrong with them. They are therefore released
by the Major-General when they promise to be Pirates no more; and they promptly choose brides
from amongst his pretty daughters and their friends. Since there are therefore no longer any Pirates
for him to exterminate, Frederic remains at home to marry the charming Mabel; and even Ruth
joins in the merriment, since the Sergeant of Police proves too great an attraction for her to resist.
162. PRINCESS IDA; OR, "CASTLE ADAMANT."
Comic Opera in Three Acts By Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan
Libretto By Sir W. S. Gilbert
First Produced London, January, 1884
Chief Characters Princess Ida, Lady Psyche, Lady Blanche, Melissa, Hilarion, King Hildebrand,
King Gama, Florian, Cyril
THIS opera is a mild burlesque on Tennysons "Princess," and a good-natured satire on the "
Advanced Woman." The first act takes place in the Castle of King Hildebrand, who is awaiting the
coming of King Gama with his daughter, Princess Ida, who is to wed Hilarion, the son of
Hildebrand. Gama presently arrives, alone, declaring that his daughter has foresworn marriage and
refuses to leave Castle Adamant, the Womens University she has founded, and of which she is the
head; and Hildebrand is so furious at this breaking of the compact between the two royal families
that he seizes the three sons of Gama and holds them as hostages until the Princess Ida shall be
brought as a bride for his son. Meanwhile Hilarion and his friends, Florian and Cyril, set off for
Castle Adamant, determined to see for themselves if the fair Princess is so stonyhearted as given
out.
Act 2 takes place at Castle Adamant, where the " advanced" ladies are all engaged in various
studies, in which they are chiefly encouraged by the Lady Blanche, the Professor of Abstract
Science, who is the most enthusiastic member of the College, of which she is anxious to secure the
leadership. Hilarion and his two companions get into the sacred precincts by the primitive method
of scaling the high garden wall; and finding a supply of academic robes, they don these and
present themselves as girl-students. They are consequently admitted to the College, agreeing to the
rules with great glee when they find that one of them binds them to love all the inmates. Their