Song 7 - Three Little Maids by Gilbert & Sullivan

"Three Little Maids" comes from the comic opera The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan. The duo wrote 14 comic/light operas in the late 19th century; and I think I am the only person on my mum's side of the family who hasn't been in one of the operas written by them but their music is part of my musical DNA. My love for Gilbert and Sullivan comes from my mum and her stories about my Grandad putting on the operas at the schools he taught at. The twist in this story is that some of the schools were all boy schools and it is the thought of groups of males singing the soprano parts in the
opera. My grandad was the most musical person I knew and his talent washed through his family and
is probably the reason I am writing this blog and have a diverse taste in music. We had an old record  of Gilbert and Sullivan and I am sure that my mum played it to me when I was in her womb.

Although the Pirates of Penzance was the first of their operas I saw, "Three little maids" holds a personal  place in my heart as I sang it in Aladdin when I played one of the princess's handmaidens at the start of Act 2. I remember how high the end of the song goes and it was a relief to have it sung every night. Also I think it was my mum's way of getting to see her youngest daughter singing Gilbert and Sullivan; and now that I look back I'm glad she did as Aladdin was her swan song.

The Mikado was first performed in 1885, and is about a wandering minstrel who falls in love with Yum-Yum, but for their union to happen they have contend with Katisha and Ko-Ko. The opera has so many good tunes like "Flowers that bloom in the spring" and "I've got them on my list". Opera can often put people off and seem like an boring way to spend three hours but trust me open your ears to
new possibilities and start today by listen to this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mXWkIZUPmDY

Written by Gilbert and Sullivan, 1885.