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. Its German libretto by Ignaz Schnitzer is based on the unpublished 1883 story Saffi by Mór Jókai. Jókai later published a novel A cigánybáró (English: The Gypsy Baron) in 1885 using an expanded version of this same story.
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". During the composer's lifetime, the operetta enjoyed great success internationally. It is considered one of Strauss's three best stage works, along with Die Fledermaus (1874) and Eine Nacht in Venedig (1883).
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