Audiences at this year’s International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival (1-15 August 2026) will have the rare opportunity to hear three long-lost songs from Iolanthe, recently discovered in the British Library by Gilbert & Sullivan researcher Marc Shepherd.
The songs had been presumed lost since the nineteenth century until Shepherd uncovered them in a manuscript score that had remained unnoticed for decades. Entirely new Sullivan music is seldom found, and the recovery of three complete numbers from a single opera is almost unprecedented.
As Shepherd himself observed:
“Lost Gilbert & Sullivan songs aren’t often discovered; finding three at once is like sighting a unicorn.”
The three rediscovered numbers are:
- “On You They’d Set a Coronet” — a quartet for Phyllis, Tolloller, Mountararat and the Lord Chancellor, with Chorus of Peers, cut during the rehearsal period.
- “My Love for Him Is Dead” — a solo for Phyllis, cut during rehearsals before opening night.
- “De Belville Was Regarded as the Crichton of His Age” — Lord Mountararat’s comic song. Although the lyrics were known, the music was believed lost until this year’s discovery.
Performance Information
All three numbers will be performed as part of the Best of Gilbert & Sullivan concert at Buxton Opera House:
- Tuesday 4 August, 7.30 pm
- Friday 14 August, 2.30 pm
The programme will also be presented at Malvern Theatre on Saturday 12 September at 7.30 pm.
Shepherd will also present a talk exploring the discovery, the story behind the lost songs, and what they reveal about the creation of Iolanthe at St John’s Church, Buxton:
- Tuesday 4 August, 6.30 pm
- Friday 14 August, 1.00 pm
Whether they are lifelong Savoyards or simply curious to hear music unavailable to audiences for nearly a century and a half, visitors will have a unique opportunity to experience a remarkable chapter of Gilbert & Sullivan history.
You can read more about Marc Shepherd’s discovery on his Substack: https://substack.com/@marc154391
Malvern Theatres: Box Office 01684 892277 Book Now: https://malvern-theatres.co.uk/event/the-national-gilbert-sullivan-opera-company-the-best-of-gs/
We look forward to welcoming you.