The Gypsy Baron

Der Zigeunerbaron
Operetta by Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II
TranslationThe Gypsy Baron
LibrettistIgnaz Schnitzer
LanguageGerman
Based onSaffi by Mór Jókai
Premiere
24 October 1885 (1885-10-24)
Theater an der Wien, Vienna

The Gypsy Baron (German: Der Zigeunerbaron) is an operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss II which premiered at the Theater an der Wien on 24 October 1885.[1] Its German libretto by Ignaz Schnitzer is based on the unpublished 1883 story Saffi by Mór Jókai.[2][3][4][5] Jokai later published a novel A cigánybáró (English: The Gypsy Baron) in 1885 using an expanded version of this same story.[4][5]

While an operetta, The Gypsy Baron was a departure from Strauss's earlier more comic and light hearted works; displaying more serious tones both musically and dramatically in what musicologist Andrew Lamb described as "a step in Strauss’s quest for the composition of a genuine opera".[1] During the composer's lifetime, the operetta enjoyed great success internationally.[6] It is considered one of Strauss's three best stage works, along with Die Fledermaus (1874) and Eine Nacht in Venedig (1883).[6]

  1. ^ a b Lamb, Andrew (2002). "Zigeunerbaron, Der ('The Gypsy Baron')". Grove Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O002440.
  2. ^ Holden, Amanda, ed. (2001). "The Gypsy Baron". The New Penguin Opera Guide. New York: Penguin Putnam. ISBN 0-14-029312-4.
  3. ^ John W. Freeman (1984). "Der Zigeunerbaron". The Metropolitan Opera Stories of the Great Operas, Volume 2. pp. 361–364. ISBN 9780393040517.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference GM was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b György Sándor Gál [in Hungarian]; Vilmos Somogyi [in Hungarian] (1976). "Der Zigeunerbaron". Operettek könyve: az operett regényes története. Zeneműkiadó. pp. 178–179.
  6. ^ a b Kemp, Peter (2002). "Strauss, Johann (Baptist) (ii)". Grove Music Online. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.6002278266.