| Opera | Act | Character | Quote | |
| THESPIS | I | SOLO: | What can we do | |
| I | To gain attention? | |||
| I | MERCURY: | I must do something to justify my position. | ||
| I | MERCURY: | There's nothing for clever obscurity! | ||
| I | MERCURY: | Oh incident unprecedented! | ||
| I | I hardly can believe it's true! | |||
| I | GODS: | Goodness gracious, | ||
| I | How audacious! | |||
| I | SPARKEION | On second thoughts, the opportunity's so good it don't admit of improvement. | ||
| I | PREPOSTEROS | Shut up again! But no matter. | ||
| I | JUPITER | Well, but what are we to do? We feel that we ought to do something, but we don't know what. | ||
| I | JUPITER | The offer is tempting. But suppose you fail? | ||
| II | MERCURY: | Well, you see, there's a good deal to be said on both sides of the question. | ||
| II | THESPIS: | if he fails there's no harm done; if he succeeds it's a distinct gain | ||
| II | THESPIANS: | Great Jove, this interference | ||
| II | Is more than we can stand; | |||
| TRIAL by JURY | - | CHORUS: | Hearts with anxious fears are bounding ... | |
| - | Breathing hope and fear - | |||
| - | USHER: | What he may say you needn't mind | ||
| - | JURYMEN: | On the merits of his pleadings | ||
| - | We're at present in the dark! | |||
| - | JURYMEN: | Monster, dread our damages! | ||
| - | JURYMEN: | Oh, I was like that when a lad .. | ||
| - | But that sort of thing is all over. | |||
| - | JURYMEN: | He shall treat us with awe | ||
| - | JUDGE: | A nice dilemma we have here, | ||
| - | That calls for all our wit | |||
| - | COUNSEL: | And at this stage, it don't appear | ||
| - | That we can settle it. | |||
| - | JURYMEN: | We would be fairly acting, | ||
| - | But this is most distracting! | |||
| - | CHORUS: | Oh, joy unbounded! | ||
| The SORCERER | I | Mrs. PARTLET: | I'll probe him on the subject. | |
| I | CONSTANCE: | My woe can find | ||
| I | No hope, no solace, no alloy! | |||
| I | CHORUS: | With heart and with voice | ||
| I | Let us welcome this mating | |||
| I | Sir MARMADUKE: | I'm your servant most attentive - | ||
| I | Most attentive to command! | |||
| I | ALEXIS: | I must nevertheless pocket my aversion, in deference to the great and good end I have in view. | ||
| I | ALINE: | Seek safety in flight! | ||
| I | ALINE: | Let us fly to a far-off land, | ||
| I | Where peace and plenty dwell - | |||
| II | CHORUS: | What is this strange confusion | ||
| II | That veils my aching eyes? | |||
| II | CONSTANCE: | Dear friends, take pity on my lot, | ||
| II | My cup is not of nectar! | |||
| II | J. W. WELLS: | This last catastrophe is overpowering! | ||
| II | Lady SANGAZURE: | For pity's sake, recoil not thus from me! | ||
| II | J. W. WELLS: | Oh agony, rage, despair! | ||
| II | Oh, where will this end - oh, where? | |||
| II | I should very much like to know! | |||
| II | ALINE: | All fear - all thought of ill I cast away! | ||
| II | Dr. DALY: | Oh, my voice is sad and low | ||
| II | And with timid step I go - | |||
| II | Dr. DALY: | Thank you for your kindly proffer - | ||
| II | Good your heart, and full your coffer; | |||
| II | Yet I must decline your offer - | |||
| II | ALEXIS: | Prepare for sad surprises - | ||
| II | J. W. WELLS: | So be it! I submit! My fate is sealed. | ||
| HMS PINAFORE | I | LITTLE BUTTERCUP: | Red am I? . May be, for I have dissembled well. | |
| I | RALPH: | We have pain and sorrow too before us! | ||
| I | JOSEPHINE: | But fear not, I have a heart | ||
| I | Sir JOSEPH: | I never thought of thinking for myself at all. | ||
| I | DICK DEADEYE: | He means well, but he don't know. | ||
| I | DICK DEADEYE: | When people have to obey other people's orders, equality's out of the question. | ||
| I | JOSEPHINE: | Oh sir, you forget the disparity in our ranks. | ||
| I | RALPH: | I have spoken, and I wait your word. | ||
| I | RALPH: | You speak and I obey, | ||
| I | It is my duty! | |||
| I | RALPH: | The maiden treats my suit with scorn, | ||
| I | CHORUS: | Oh joy, oh rapture unforeseen, | ||
| I | For now the sky is all serene; | |||
| I | DICK DEADEYE: | Forbear, nor carry out the scheme you've planned; | ||
| II | LITTLE BUTTERCUP: | Things are seldom what they seem, | ||
| II | Captain CORCORAN: | Though to catch your drift I'm striving, | ||
| II | It is shady - it is shady; | |||
| II | DICK DEADEYE: | Kind Captain, I've important information, | ||
| II | CHORUS: | Every step with caution feeling, | ||
| II | We will softly steal away. | |||
| II | Captain CORCORAN: | I try to speak with moderation, | ||
| II | But you have gone too far. | |||
| II | Sir JOSEPH: | This is the consequence | ||
| II | Of ill-advised asperity! | |||
| PIRATES of PENZANCE | I | PIRATE KING: | Always act with the dictates of your conscience, and chance the consequences. | |
| I | FREDERIC: | When you attack a stronger party you invariably get thrashed. | ||
| I | EDITH: | Play at other games - | ||
| I | Leave them here together. | |||
| I | DAUGHTERS: | We have missed our opportunity | ||
| I | Of escaping with impunity; | |||
| I | PIRATE KING: | We rather think that we're | ||
| I | Not altogether void | |||
| II | POLICEMEN: | We observe too great a stress, | ||
| II | On the risks that on us press, | |||
| II | FREDERIC: | Know ye not, oh rash ones, | ||
| II | That I have doomed you to extermination? | |||
| II | POLICEMEN: | We cannot understand it at all. | ||
| II | POLICEMEN: | Our feelings we with difficulty smother - | ||
| II | PIRATES: | We seek a penalty fifty-fold. | ||
| II | PIRATES: | In silence dread | ||
| II | Our cautious way we feel. | |||
| II | SERGEANT: | To gain a brief advantage you've contrived, | ||
| II | But your proud triumph will not be long-lived. | |||
| II | PIRATES: | With all our faults, we love our Queen. | ||
| PATIENCE | I | MAIDENS: | Alas, poor heart, go hide thyself away - | |
| I | MAIDENS: | Sad and sorry is our lot! | ||
| I | DRAGOONS: | Now is not this ridiculous - and is not this preposterous? | ||
| I | A thorough-paced absurdity - explain it if you can. | |||
| I | BUNTHORNE: | Finished! At last! Finished! | ||
| I | BUNTHORNE: | If this young man expresses himself in terms too deep for me, | ||
| I | Why, what a very singularly deep young man this deep young man must be! | |||
| I | BUNTHORNE: | Life is made up of interruptions. | ||
| I | BUNTHORNE: | Do you know what it is to seek oceans and to find puddles? | ||
| I | PATIENCE: | Pray don't misconstrue what I say - | ||
| I | GROSVENOR: | Oh, misery! And yet I cannot question the propriety of your decision. | ||
| I | BUNTHORNE: | Overcome your diffidence and natural timidity, | ||
| I | BUNTHORNE: | Such an opportunity may not occur again. | ||
| I | DRAGOONS: | We've been thrown over, we're aware, | ||
| I | But we don't care - but we don't care! | |||
| I | PATIENCE: | If you, with one so lowly, still | ||
| I | Desire to be allied, | |||
| I | Then you may take me, if you will, | |||
| II | BUNTHORNE: | I'll meet this fellow on his own ground and beat him on it. | ||
| II | BUNTHORNE: | Sing "Booh to you- | ||
| II | Pooh, pooh to you" - | |||
| II | And that's what I shall say! | |||
| II | Colonel CALVERLEY: | .the question is not whether we like it, but whether they do. | ||
| II | Colonel CALVERLEY: | We trust that this is not without its effect. | ||
| II | BUNTHORNE: | It would be an extreme measure, no doubt. Still -- | ||
| II | GROSVENOR: | I have long wished for a reasonable pretext for such a change as you suggest. It has come at last. | ||
| II | Lady JANE: | Cheer up! I am still here. | ||
| IOLANTHE | I | FAIRY QUEEN: | Oh, I should be strong, but I am weak! | |
| I | STREPHON: | No, no - delays are dangerous, | ||
| I | PEERS: | Blow the trumpets, bang the brasses! | ||
| I | Lord CHANCELLOR: | It has no kind of fault or flaw, | ||
| I | Lord CHANCELLOR: | It nevertheless can't be denied | ||
| I | That it has its inconvenient side. | |||
| I | PHYLLIS: | Nay, tempt me not | ||
| I | To rank I'll not be bound; | |||
| I | PEERS: | In each heart | ||
| I | Proud are we innately - | |||
| I | PEERS: | Let's depart, | ||
| I | Dignified and stately! | |||
| I | STREPHON: | .darkly looms the day, | ||
| I | And all is dull and grey, | |||
| I | STREPHON: | The prospect's not so bad, | ||
| I | My heart so sore and sad | |||
| I | May very soon be glad | |||
| I | Lord CHANCELLOR: | Recollect yourself, I pray, | ||
| I | And be careful what you say - | |||
| I | PHYLLIS: | For riches and rank I do not long - | ||
| I | PHYLLIS: | To you I give my heart so rich! | ||
| I | PEERS: | Rank, it seems, is vital, | ||
| I | STREPHON: | Can I inactive see my fortunes fade? | ||
| I | No, no! | |||
| I | STREPHON: | She won't believe my statement, and declares we must be parted, | ||
| I | FAIRY QUEEN: | It's highly necessary | ||
| I | Your tongue to teach | |||
| I | Respectful speech - | |||
| I | Lord CHANCELLOR: | A plague on this vagary, | ||
| I | I'm in a nice quandary! | |||
| I | CELIA: | Our wrath, when gentlemen offend us, | ||
| I | Is tremendous! | |||
| I | FAIRIES: | A fearful prospect opens out, | ||
| I | And who shall say | |||
| I | What evils may | |||
| I | Result in consequence! | |||
| II | Lord MOUNTARARAT: | Did nothing in particular, | ||
| II | And did it very well: | |||
| II | LEILA: | In vain to us you plead - | ||
| II | FAIRY QUEEN: | But I mortify this inclination; I wrestle with it, and it lies beneath my feet! | ||
| II | Lord TOLLOLLER: | It's a difficult situation. It would be hardly delicate to toss up. On the whole we would rather leave it to you. | ||
| II | Lord MOUNTARARAT: | The only question is, which of us should give way to the other? | ||
| II | Lord MOUNTARARAT: | If one of us is to destroy the other, let it be me! | ||
| II | Lord CHANCELLOR: | You get a good spadesman | ||
| II | Lord CHANCELLOR: | Well, I will nerve myself to another effort, and, if that fails, I resign myself to my fate! | ||
| II | Lord MOUNTARARAT: | Faint heart never won fair lady! | ||
| II | Lord CHANCELLOR: | Though I fear the prospect's shady - | ||
| II | STREPHON: | I don't think I ought to. Besides, all sorts of difficulties will arise. | ||
| II | Lord CHANCELLOR: | Eventually, after a severe struggle with myself, I reluctantly - most reluctantly - consented. | ||
| PRINCESS IDA | I | CHORUS: | To your command, | |
| I | On every hand, | |||
| I | We dutifully bow! | |||
| I | HILARION: | But ah, my hopes are balanced by my fears! | ||
| I | ARAC: | Order comes to fight, ha! ha! | ||
| I | Order is obeyed! | |||
| I | CYRIL: | This bold intrusion | ||
| I | Shall justify. | |||
| II | GRADUATES: | And all the knowledge we possess | ||
| II | We mutually impart. | |||
| II | Lady BLANCHE: | Given these three hypotheses - to find | ||
| II | The actual betting against each of them! | |||
| II | Princess IDA: | Your theme's ambitious; pray you, bear in mind | ||
| II | Who highest soar fall farthest. | |||
| II | HILARION: | Gently, gently, | ||
| II | Evidently | |||
| II | We are safe so far, | |||
| II | CYRIL: | What do I want with a heart, innately? | ||
| II | Lady PSYCHE: | But it would not do, | ||
| II | The scheme fell through - | |||
| II | GRADUATES: | Oh! yield at once, 'twere better so | ||
| II | Than risk a strife! | |||
| III | King GAMA: | Give them no quarter - they will give you none. | ||
| The MIKADO | I | NANKI-POO: | I saw that my suit was hopeless. | |
| I | PISH-TUSH: | And we are right, I think you'll say, | ||
| I | To argue in this kind of way; | |||
| I | POOH-BAH: | It's a hopeless case, | ||
| I | As you may see, | |||
| I | KO-KO: | Wafted by a favouring gale | ||
| I | As one sometimes is in trances, | |||
| I | POOH-BAH: | I should have no hesitation in saying "Chance it -" | ||
| I | PITTI-SING: | I expect it's all right. Must have a beginning, you know. | ||
| I | KO-KO: | Come, come, make an effort, there's a good nobleman. | ||
| I | KO-KO: | We know how delicate it is, don't we? | ||
| I | NANKI-POO: | Modified rapture! | ||
| I | NANKI-POO: | So, in spite of all temptation, | ||
| I | Such a theme I'll not discuss, | |||
| I | KO-KO: | Really, it hardly seems worth while! | ||
| I | POOH-BAH: | But no, I must set bounds to my insatiable ambition! | ||
| I | POOH-BAH: | With grief condign | ||
| I | I must decline - | |||
| I | CHORUS: | Don't hesitate | ||
| I | Your choice to name, | |||
| I | NANKI-POO: | The threatened cloud has passed away | ||
| I | YUM-YUM: | And brightly shines the morning day; | ||
| I | PITTI-SING: | Away, nor prosecute your quest - | ||
| I | From our intention, well expressed, | |||
| I | You cannot turn us! | |||
| I | KATISHA: | The hope I cherished | ||
| I | All lifeless lies, | |||
| II | YUM-YUM: | Here's a how-de-do! | ||
| II | NANKI-POO: | Here's a pretty mess! | ||
| II | KO-KO: | Here's a state of things! | ||
| II | NANKI-POO: | The flowers that bloom in the spring, | ||
| II | Tra la, | |||
| II | Breathe promise of merry sunshine - | |||
| RUDDIGORE | I | ROSE MAYBUD: | In truth I could pursue this painful theme much further, but behold, I have said enough. | |
| I | ROBIN OAKAPPLE: | Silent is he, for he's modest and afraid - | ||
| I | (Hey, but he's timid as a youth can be!) | |||
| I | ROBIN OAKAPPLE: | If you wish in the world to advance | ||
| I | Your merits you're bound to enhance, | |||
| I | You must stir it and stump it, | |||
| I | And blow your own trumpet, | |||
| I | Or, trust me, you haven't a chance! | |||
| I | RICHARD: | Does your honour know what it is to have a heart? | ||
| I | Sir DESPARD: | I have not a heart of that description, but I have a Picture Gallery.. | ||
| I | Sir DESPARD: | With vigour unshaken | ||
| I | This step shall be taken. | |||
| I | DUET: | For duty, duty must be done; | ||
| I | The rule applies to everyone, | |||
| I | And painful though that duty be, | |||
| I | To shirk the task were fiddle-de-dee! | |||
| II | 4TH GHOST: | Fallacy somewhere, I fancy! | ||
| II | GHOSTS: | He answers to our call! | ||
| II | We do not ask for more. | |||
| II | Sir DESPARD: | I've given up all my wild proceedings. | ||
| II | Sir RUTHVEN: | My eyes are fully open to my awful situation - | ||
| YEOMEN of the GUARD | I | PHOEBE: | Alas! I waver to and fro! | |
| I | Dark danger hangs upon the deed! | |||
| I | LEONARD MERYLL: | The scheme is rash and well may fail, | ||
| I | But ours are not the hearts that quail, | |||
| I | TRIO: | We may succeed - who can foretell? | ||
| I | May heaven help our hope - | |||
| I | PHOEBE: | It is a pretty picture - but I scarcely know. It cometh so unexpectedly - | ||
| II | JACK POINT: | It's a comfort to feel, | ||
| II | If your partner should flit, | |||
| II | Though you suffer a deal, | |||
| II | They don't mind it a bit - | |||
| II | DUET: | Tell a tale of cock and bull, | ||
| II | Of convincing detail full, | |||
| II | FAIRFAX: | What sayest thou? Thou wilt not let my heart be eaten up? | ||
| II | ELSIE: | Oh, mercy! What am I to say? | ||
| II | CHORUS: | Honours wait on such an one; | ||
| The GONDOLIERS | I | FIAMETTA: | We have hearts for them, in plenty, | |
| I | They have hearts, but all too few, | |||
| I | ANTONIO: | We're happy as happy can be, tra la - | ||
| I | MARCO: | I've no preference whatever - | ||
| I | Duke of PLAZA-TORO: | Insuperable difficulties meet me at every turn! | ||
| I | QUINTET: | Why should we, in vain endeavour, | ||
| I | Guess and guess and guess again? | |||
| I | QUINTET: | Wherefore waste our elocution | ||
| I | On impossible solution? | |||
| I | GIUSEPPE: | Our views may have been hastily formed on insufficient grounds. | ||
| II | DUET: | Two kings, of undue pride bereft, | ||
| II | QUARTET: | Quiet, calm deliberation | ||
| II | Disentangles every knot. | |||
| II | QUINTET: | Here is a case unprecedented! | ||
| II | QUINTET: | Here are a king and queen ill-starred! | ||
| II | CHORUS: | Is this indeed the king? | ||
| II | CHORUS: | Oh, wondrous revelation! | ||
| II | QUARTET: | This statement we receive | ||
| II | With sentiments conflicting; | |||
| UTOPIA LIMITED | I | MELENE: | We are all very well as we are. | |
| I | WISE MEN: | Its force all men confess, | ||
| I | PHANTIS: | I do not know - I am not sure. | ||
| I | UTOPIANS: | No, no - it does not interfere | ||
| I | With our enjoyment much. | |||
| I | LADY SOPHY: | When a doubt they come across, | ||
| I | English ladies always toss. | |||
| I | King PARAMOUNT: | Every symptom tends to show | ||
| I | You're decidedly de trop - | |||
| I | UTOPIANS: | That's trump-call, and they're all trump cards - | ||
| I | King PARAMOUNT: | I try to make the best of it, but sometimes I find it very difficult - very difficult indeed. | ||
| I | Capt. CORCORAN: | If sailor-like you'd play your cards, | ||
| I | Unbend your sails and lower your yards, | |||
| I | UTOPIANS: | Your lightest word will carry weight | ||
| I | To our attentive ears. | |||
| I | TRIO: | What does he mean? What does he mean? | ||
| I | Give us a kind of clue! | |||
| I | Mr. GOLDBURY: | I should put it rather low; | ||
| I | The good sense of doing so | |||
| I | Will be evident at once to any debtor. | |||
| I | When it's left to you to say | |||
| I | What amount you need to pay, | |||
| I | Why, the lower you can put it at, the better. | |||
| I | TRIO: | You'd best take care - | ||
| I | Please recollect we have not been consulted. | |||
| II | PRINCESS ZARA: | ..some strange magic lies hidden in the number Seven, | ||
| II | King PARAMOUNT: | Though lofty aims catastrophe entail, | ||
| II | We'll gloriously succeed or nobly fail. | |||
| II | WISE MEN: | If you think than when banded in unity, | ||
| II | We may both be defied with impunity, | |||
| II | You are sadly misled of a verity! | |||
| II | SCAPHIO: | That's exceedingly neat and new! | ||
| II | TRIO: | At last a capital plan we've got; | ||
| THE GRAND DUKE | I | CHORUS: | My goodness me! What shall we do? Why, what a dreadful situation! | |
| I | LUDWIG: | I told him all, | ||
| I | Both bad and good; | |||
| I | LUDWIG: | I bade him call - | ||
| I | He said he would: | |||
| I | JULIA: | Well, a nice mess you've got us into! | ||
| I | Dr. TANNHAUSER: | The way out of it is quite simple. | ||
| II | BARONESS: | For whatever may be due I'll pay it double - | ||
| II | There'll be terror indescribable and trouble! | |||
| II | ERNEST DUMKOPF: | At any risk I must gratify my urgent desire to know what is going on. | ||
| II | CHORUS: | Let us make of this moment the most, | ||
| II | We may not be so lucky again. |
Updated 3 November 1998