Gilbert and Sullivan- The Mikado Quiz

Answer: 1885

It was first perfomed in 1885 at The Savoy theatre in London; the story behind its creation has recently been told in the film "Topsy Turvy."

Answer: The Town of Titipu

So named after the operetta's setting. "A More Humane Mikado" is one of the song titles, and The Lord High Executioner and Lord High Everything Else are other characters.

Answer: Katisha

Katisha is an elderly lady who is in love with Nanki- Po. The other three are all wards of Ko-Ko.

Answer: Nanki Poo

Nanki Poo is the son of The Mikado, at this point disguised as a wandering minstrel "A thing of shreds and patches" searching for Yum Yum, the girl with whom he is in love.

Answer: Flirting

Alarmed at the lack of executions taking place in Titipu, The Mikado has made flirting punishable by death.

Answer: People who read the last page first

In the highly amusing "They'd None of them be Missed", Ko-Ko lists the many possible offenses: "Young children who are up in dates and bore you with them flat/ all people who on shaking hands shake hand with you like that!"- "-And the piano organist- I've got him on the list!/ the people who eat peppermint and puff it in your face/ they'd none of 'em be missed- they'd none of 'em be missed!"

Answer: Pitti- Sing

Yum-Yum's sister Pitti-Sing sings this very catchy song when Katisha attempts to stop Yum-Yum's marriage to Nanki-Poo. The operetta ends with her singing the very similar "For he's gone and married Yum- Yum." The third sister, Peep-Bo, really doesn't get much to sing at all!

Answer: the moon and I

In this very beautiful song Yum Yum, sad on the day before her wedding after hearing that Nanki-Poo is to be executed and she is to be buried alive, thinks about how beautiful she is and her connection to nature.

Answer: Tit Willow

In this very sweet song Ko-Ko describes a bird dying of love and says he will do the same if Katisha, having been rejected by Nanki-Po, will not marry him.

Answer: False

They went on to write six more operettas together, though Sullivan did write one on his own.

Answer: winked

From "Our Great Mikado, virtuous man", this section sung by Pish-Tush.

Answer: True

Arthur Sullivan had requested a topic with more emotional potential than their previous flights of fantasy, and after some argument and a trip to the Japanese exhibition his partner came up with just the thing.

Answer: seminary

From probably the most famous song in "The Mikado"- "Three little maids from school". I noticed while humming this the other day that the tune to this part sounds a lot like the typical big top music. I'm not sure if this is coincidence or not but if anyone knows I'd like to know!

Answer: Japanese

This is in Yum-Yum's speech before she sings "The Sun whose Rays". It is not she says "Vanity? No! Nature is lovely and rejoices in her loveliness!" Myself, I sit and wonder how it is that two men as opposed to women's liberation as Gilbert and Sullivan were could create such strong and endearing female characters.

Answer: The Mad Mikado

Though I think it would be neat if there was! The Hot and Swing Mikados came out in the late 1930's, "The Black Mikado" in the 1970's. There was also a film "The Cool Mikado" and a "Metropolitan Mikado" in 1985. Many thanks to The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company's booklet accompanying their complete recording of "The Mikado" for giving me much of the information contained herein!