Ivanhoe is the best-known of Sullivan's serious operas and was the most successful during his day, though it has fallen into almost complete oblivion since then.

Sullivan had long been contemplating a return to the serious music which had first brought him critical acclaim—if not much profit. In 1883, when Queen Victoria awarded Sullivan a knighthood, she encouraged him to write a serious opera, and in their 1888 The Yeomen of the Guard, he and Gilbert had taken up more serious material than in any of their previous collaborations. Richard D'Oyly Carte commissioned Sullivan to write a grand opera for the opening of the new Royal English Opera House and while Sullivan continued to work with Gilbert (on The Gondoliers), he expected that to be his last frivolous work.

Like most English composers of his period, Sullivan was fascinated with the idea of creating an English national opera style, one that would be as distinguishable as the French, German, or Italian styles. Partly because of this and partly because of the author's vast popularity, he chose Sir Walter Scott's historic English novel Ivanhoe as his source. Gilbert declined the invitation to write the libretto and so Julian Sturgis was called in. (Gilbert also declined Sullivan's offer of two tickets in the stalls for the premiere. Sullivan's more fashionable or closer friends were offered box seats.)

Despite Sullivan's efforts, Ivanhoe owes a great debt to German Romantic opera, particularly in the scenes with Rebecca, the persecuted Jewish woman, and Brian de Bois Guilbert, the tormented Templar villain. Their music is distinguished by dark tonalities and occasionally daring, even Wagnerian harmonics, and has a pulsing excitement at its greatest moments. With Rowena, the Norman heroine, he is more successful in creating an English style, though despite the unquestionable beauty of some of her music, she is a rather insipid character (as in the novel). Ironically, the most identifiably English music is Friar Tuck's drinking song, which Sullivan had been dubious about including, as it was too reminiscent of his earlier comic operas: the self-same comic operas which for many listeners are the epitome of an English style.

Despite its prodigious length (almost four hours), it ran for six months at its premiere and might have continued a longer run if D'Oyly Carte had not had to close the house due to financial problems.

© Anne Feeney, All Music Guide