Johann Strauss (Sohn)

Der Zigeunerbaron

Johann Strauß Jr. (1825-1899) will always be remembered and loved for his innumerable splendid waltzes. Besides a great number of marches, galops and polkas, he also composed sixteen operettas. 'The Gipsy Baron' is an operetta in three acts, based on a libretto by J. Schnitzer; the latter in fact adapted the short story 'Saffi' written by Maurus Jokai, editor of a Budapest newspaper. The operetta was premiered on 24 october 1885 at the 'An der Wien' Theatre, the day before the composer's sixtieth birthday. The plot is set in the seventeenth century and deals with Sandór Barinkay's return home. When he wants to recover the land of his ancestors he discovers that Gipsies have got hold of it. In the course of many adventures he falls in love with the gipsy girl 'Saffi', who finally turns out to be a real princess. According to the tradition, the charming overture contains many of the most beautiful songs and melodies of this successful operetta. The Japanese arranger Akira Yodo made this brilliant arrangement for wind band.