Tune of the Day: I Am So Proud
The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W.S. Gilbert. It opened in 1885 in London, where it ran at the Savoy Theatre for 672 performances, one of the longest runs of any theater piece up to that time.
The story of The Mikado revolves around a wandering musician named Nanki-Poo, who has fallen in love with a beautiful young lady called Yum-Yum. Unfortunately, Yum-Yum is engaged to be married to the tailor Ko-Ko. When Nanki-Poo hears that Ko-Ko has been condemned to death for the capital crime of flirting, he hastily returns to his town, Titipu, only to learn that Ko-Ko has not only been granted a reprieve, but has been promoted to the post of Lord High Executioner. Apparently, those in power, wishing to slow down the rash of executions, reason that since Ko-Ko was next in line for execution, he can't cut off anyone else's head until he cuts off his own! The Mikado (i.e., the Emperor), however, soon takes notice of the lack of executions in Titipu and decrees that if no executions take place within the time of one month, the city shall be reduced to the status of a village. It's here, near the end of Act I, that we find the famous trio “I am so proud”.
Thanks to Zaq for suggesting this piece!