Patience
"The Daily Sun" reporter 16 April 1881
Steamy men in uniform usurped for the love of a ponsy poet
A group of libidinous ladies have given away their hearts to what can only be described as farcical dilettante. This artsy fartsy buffoon wastes his time penning drivel while our Dragoon Guards, many of whom have risked their lives for queen and country pine for the return of those who they once shared passionate romances. Has this man doped them? Is this some form of the drug derived from Ecstasy? Local farm girl, who we shall call Patience X accuses, this man of being a monster! "He won't leave me alone, constantly turning up at my place of work. I call it harassment!" His harem were all pretty normal girls till this man bought the Big house on the hill and called it Castle Bunthorne ...you can see them half naked in gardens all moaning and groaning during the day and making strange noises on them funny instruments they have, it's all very weird. I think the police should do something but when I spoke to Sergeant Meryll at the police station he said he had spoken to Mr. Bunthorne's Solicitor and there is nothing they can do unless Mr. Bunthorne touches me and as far as I am concerned he better not or else! Our reporters will be keeping a very close watch on the situation.
The STORY of PATIENCE
All the well-born ladies in the village, rapturously caught up in aestheticism are in love with two contrasting aesthetic poets - a 'fleshly' poet and an 'idyllic' poet. But the poets are both in love with Patience, the simple village milkmaid, who cares nothing for poetry and learns that true love must be completely unselfish. The girls' military suitors don't see the point to aesthetics, but they decide to give it a try to win the women's hearts. It is touch and go for awhile, but everyone ends up with a suitable partner, even if it is only a tulip or lily.
BACKGROUND
Hugely popular at the time Patience originally ran for 578 performances, one of the longest first runs of all the Savoy Operas. There may be some who find the satire of the aesthetic movement a little dated for the 21st century; however it is essentially a satire on affectation and excess.
Look beyond the poppy and lily and think about the modern craze of instant celebrity, and we can perhaps understand how Patience can still hit the mark.
If you wish to know more about the historical aspects of this opera then Wikipedia is a good place to start