Sir Henry Lytton is the best known, most admired, least understood actor in the history of the dearly loved Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Lytton’s career spanned over 50 years. Much published information about him is wrong. His true story is fascinating. His early theatrical life owed much to the determination of Louie Henri, the girl who later became his wife. Lytton is the hero of the story. Louie is undoubtedly the heroine.

This book is based on a fresh approach. It depends on original sources - birth certificates, censuses, interviews with his surviving daughter and two grandsons, plus the national and theatre press and Lytton's own letters. It brings to life Lytton and Louie, Bertha Lewis and other major artists in the operas. Many of the stunning photographs will be entirely new to modern readers. It is a very valuable source of information for the increasing number of universities and colleges where the operas are seen as a legitimate subject for study.