Title   Trial by Jury Composer   Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842 - 1900) Librettist   William S. Gilbert (1836 - 1911) Genre   Dramatic cantata; one act. First performance   Royalty Theatre, London, 25 March, 1875. Time of action   About 1875. Place of action   A London Court of Justice. Main parts   The Learned Judge baritone     The Plaintiff (Angelina) soprano     The Defendant (Edwin) tenor I     Counsel for the Plaintiff tenor II     Usher bass-baritone Prominence of chorus   Large. Orchestra   1 flute, 1 oboe, 2 clarinets, 1 bassoon, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, percussion, strings. Special demands   None. Full score and orchestral parts   Available. Level   Not difficult Length   One act of about 15 minutes. Music   This "dramatic cantata" is the first fruit of the long co-operation between Gilbert and Sullivan. It is also their only operetta without spoken dialogue. Musically there is much to be enjoyed: the many choruses, the "dilemma" ensemble, the judge's song, the counsel's indictment etc., it is all Sullivan at his best. Story   A certain Edwin is summoned to justice for break of promise. He gets very little sympathy: the jury, the public, the usher, the judge, all are prejudiced in favour of Angelina, the cheated bride. She and her counsel make good use of the prevailing mood, but Edwin fights back. The result is confusion, culminating in a grand operatic ensemble in the Italian belcanto manner ("A nice dilemma we have here."). Then the judge makes a surprising decision, to everybody's satisfaction. Costumes   Chorus: ladies and gentlemen, plus a group of bridesmaids, ideally numbering twelve, as in the end they are to marry the twelve jurors. Note   The work makes a good combination with another one-act light opera (as a "double bill") or with a concert before the interval.