'The Gondoliers' represents a return to the satirical & ebullient Gilbert and Sullivan of 'The Mikado' after the grim Ruddigore & Yeoman of the Guard. Gilbert sets his story in Venice, leaving the cloudy English sky for the sunny Mediterranean world. It is the tale of Casilda, who is married at birth to the infant heir to the throne of barteria, who is kidnapped soon afterwards. Twenty years later Casilda's family set out to find him. Naturally, he turns out to be Casilda's own true love Luiz.