Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (1836-1911) wrote dozens of plays and librettos, as well as numerous volumes of light verse, but he is best known as the lyrical half of the partnership of Gilbert and Sullivan. In addition to writing the lyrics and inventing the stories for the Savoy operas, he also directed the theatrical productions as well. He was knighted by the British crown in 1907, and died four years later, suffering a heart attack while saving a young woman from drowning.

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