Thespis (Partially Missing Score to 1871 Gilbert and Sullivan Opera)

Thespis was the very first collaboration between legendary Opera duo, W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. The opera ran for 63 performances and closed down the next year, considered a successful run at the time.

The opera survives only in the form of a libretto, allowing details of the plot and dialogue to be known. The plot involved an acting troupe traveling to Greece and switch places with the gods on Mt. Olympus. Proving to be quite the inept rulers, a bunch of cosmic hilarity ensues. Accoring to reviews, the audience was left roaring with laughert throughout the opera's running time.

Most of the opera's music is now completely lost. No sheet music was widely distributed and no sound recordings survive. There are a few exceptions, though. Two of the opera's songs, "Climbing Over Rocky Mountain" (a chorus with solos) and "Little Maid of Arcadee" (a short ballet featured in the opera) are known to exist. "Climbing Over Rocky Mountain" got a modest sheet music release while "Little Maid of Arcadee" was feautured in a future Sullivan production.

The missing music froom this opera has left GIlbert and Sullivan fans high and dry. One famous fan named Issac Assimov (famous science fiction writer) wrote a book about a man who travels back in time to "rescue" the opara from being lost. Many recreation efforts have been attempted, but the music is still yet to surface in any form.