The great satire composer Arthur Seymour Sullivan was born on May 13, 1842 to a Londoner bandmaster. He quickly taught his son Arthur how to play multiple band instruments.
Arthur Sullivan soon grew to love music and he joined the Boy’s Choir at age 11.
At this institution he learned how to compose and sing. His compositions were even performed at the Choir itself.
Once he was old enough, he started making a living by composing, performing, and teaching (although he detested working as the latter). He teamed up with playwright genius William Gilbert, and together they were enormously successful.
But later on, Arthur stopped focusing on Savoy Operas and began focusing on “serious” operas, which were not nearly as successful or remembered as the Savoy Operas.
He died on November 22, 1900, of a heart failure.