Sullivan, Sir Arthur Seymour (1842-1900), was an English composer and conductor best known for a series of comic operettas he wrote with the English playwright Sir William Gilbert. Sullivan also won recognition for several hymns, notably the familiar “Onward, Christian Soldiers” (1871).
Sullivan was born in London. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and at the Leipzig Conservatory in Germany. In 1860 and 1861, while still a student, Sullivan wrote incidental music for William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, his first successful composition. His first successful operetta was Cox and Box (1867). He began working with Gilbert in 1871. During his lifetime Sullivan was considered the leading English composer. However, other than his operettas and hymns, none of his works have remained popular. For information about his collaboration with Gilbert, see Gilbert and Sullivan .
