What Gilbert & Sullivan operetta did Rehnquist get his robe stripes inspiration from?

[astro]

It's reputed that Rehnquist's redesign of the Chief Justice's Robe afew years ago was inspired by his admiration for a similar robe seen in a Gilbert & Sullivan Operetta. What was the play? Who was the character?

The Lord High Executioner?

If not him, then who?

[Tracy Lord]

Words on the streets is it's Iolanthe, although my first guess was Trial By Jury. Both of them have satirical court scenes.

[Cunctator]

Probably Trial by Jury. Or perhaps the Lord Chancellor's costume in Iolanthe.

[Scott Plaid]

The play: Iolanthe

The person: the Lord Chancellor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rehnquist

[Malacandra]

Words on the streets is it's Iolanthe, although my first guess was Trial By Jury. Both of them have satirical court scenes.

There's no court scene in Iolanthe.

--Malacandra, sometime Strephon and Lord Mountararat (no, not in the same production).

[parthenokinesis]

It's the one about duty.

[h.sapiens]

They're all about duty.

[thwartme]

Words on the streets is it's Iolanthe...

For some reason, this conjured the image of shady, vaguely criminal characters skulking around dark alleyways and discussing light opera. Possibly in a sinister, somewhat threatening fashion. I find that very amusing.

thwartme

[Scott Plaid]

There's no court scene in Iolanthe.

--Malacandra, sometime Strephon and Lord Mountararat (no, not in the same production).Cite for the gold strips being from this play. (http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1569383472.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg).

Reading over the script (http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext97/cpogs10.txt), it seems while there is no court room scene, there is most definitly a judge.

[Malacandra]

There is a Lord Chancellor, who is by way of being the most senior judge in the country...

[Cliffy]

I half-remember that The Chief actually appeared in a small part in a Gilbert & Sullivan production around here some years ago, but I don't remember what. It would have been a small cameo roll.

--Cliffy

[Tracy Lord]

There's no court scene in Iolanthe.

If you want to get picky about it, no, but there's a Parliament scene with a judge, which is close enough for me (and evidently Judge Rehnquist)!