Gilbert And Sullivan

Day 174: How's your opera knowledge? In which Gilbert and Sullivan opera do we hear:
The flowers that bloom in the spring -tra la-
Breathe promise of merry sunshine!
As we merrily dance and we sing, -tra la-
We welcome the hope that they bring, -tra la-
Of a summer of roses and wine,
Of a summer of roses and wine.
And that's what we mean when we say that a thing
Is welcome as flowers that bloom in the spring.

Why, "The Mikado," of course! It's "The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring." I learned the song (piano and vocal) when I was very young and invariably sing it when the first blossoms appear in my garden. Like much of Gilbert and Sullivan's work, it has a tendency to stick in the mind, not quite an ohrwurm in that it doesn't become annoying before my brain moves on to another tune (hopefully not "The Modern Major General" which I have a hard time getting rid of, or Tom Lehrer's spin-off, "The Elements").

Currently, my Flowers that Bloom in the Spring include the Primulas which have been part of my inaccurately-designated "lawn" since I moved here, the Grape Hyacinths (another enduring resident), and the Snowflakes (Leucojum) which I planted a few years ago, as well as Hellebore, a few freshly opened daffodils, heather and red currant (in bud). Ah, the hope that they bring, tra-la! It does my heart good to see colour in the garden after the long, grey winter.