Johann Strauss Jr. – Der Zigeunerbaron

If you were so minded, you could claim that the subject of Johann Strauss’ operetta The Gypsy Baron is extremely topical. After all, it tells the story of an exile. An exile who, years after being banned by his family, returns to his homeland in order to repossess the properties of his forefathers. But this is simply a limited and simultaneously restricting summary of a work that was to become Johann Strauss’ greatest stage success following Die Fledermaus (= the bat). For due to his fickle and unsteady character, this exile – named Sándor Barinkay – does not necessarily have the makings of a positive hero. The same goes, by the way, for the other characters in the colourful cast, who exhibit rather questionable character traits. And the story as such?