Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan

Sullivan, Sir Arthur Seymour (1842–1900), English composer. He was born in London and studied at the Royal Academy of Music. He first met with success for the music he wrote for the Shakespeare play The Tempest (1862). Sullivan is perhaps best known for his collaborations with the playwright Sir William Gilbert in which he produced many operettas. Gilbert and Sullivan first became a team with Thespis (1871), an operetta that was not very successful. Their next work, Trial by Jury (1875), became an instant hit. Other successful collaborations include The Pirates of Penzance (1880), The Mikado (1885), and The Gondoliers (1889). Sullivan also collaborated with other writers and wrote several works alone, including classical music, operas, and hymns. One of his most famous songs is “Onward Christian Soldiers.” Sullivan taught at and was later the principal of the Royal Academy of Music. He was also an organist and conductor.