35^th Festival Season - 2013

THE GYPSY BARON

Music by Johann Strauss

Libretto by Ignaz Schnitzer

English Translation by Ruth and Thomas Martin

ACT I: Barinkay, a handsome young adventurer, is escorted to his estates in Hungary by Carnero, Emissary of the Empress Maria Theresia of Austria. The lands of his father, who had died in exile many years ago, are now to be officially restored to Barinkay. Profiting by the long absence of a rightful owner, Barinkay's neighbor, Kalman Zsupan, a wealthy pig-farmer, has "acquired" most of the lands, leaving for Barinkay only castle ruins and a gypsy village at the edge of the swampland. In order to establish a "good neighbor" policy, Barinkay proposes marriage to Zsupan's pretty daughter Arsena - a match to which the shrewd Zsupan agrees willingly. Arsena, however, is secretly in love with Ottokar, a young farm hand in Zsupan's house and the son of Arsena's buxom governess Mirabella. Arsensa staves off the proposed marriage to Barinkay by insisting that her husband must be at least a baron. Zsupan, easily swayed by his daughter, approves this condition and, with the rest of his party, withdraws into his comfortable house, leaving Barinkay alone outside, a stranger on his own property. His attention turns to the beautiful gypsy girl Saffi, whose mother Czipra recognizes Barinkay as the rightful lord of the lands. When the gypsies return from their weekly trip to market, she hails him as their returned master, thus ennobling him as a "Gypsy Baron." Barinkay repeats his proposal to Arsena, but the "Gypsy Baron" is ridiculed by Zsupan's household. Hurt and humiliated, he declares Saffi his bride. This affront arouses the anger of Zsupan and his people, and a fight between them and the equally furious gypsy band is inevitable.

ACT II: It is early morning. Czipra keeps watch in front of the ruins. Saffi lies asleep, her head in Czipra's lap, while Barinkay, a little distance away, is asleep in the castle. Saffi's beauty and sincerity have awakened true love in the heart of Barinkay. When Saffi and Barinkay awake, Czipra reveals Saffi's dream about a treasure that is concealed in the castle's ruins. Incredulous, Barinkay searches the grounds and, to his great surprise, discovers the treasure. It is the war chest, full of gold, that his father had hidden before fleeing the country many years before. Count Homonay, influential at court in Vienna and the benefactor of Barinkay, appears and announces that he is on a recruiting campaign - men are needed for the war that has just broken out. Carnero loses no time in filling the Count in on Barinkay's scandalous and illegal marriage to Saffi. Homonay rejects the protest as absurd. When Zsupan's entourage becomes belligerent and threatening about the affair, Czipra reveals that Saffi is actually not her child - she is in fact a princess, the daughter of the last Hungarian Pasha. Barinkay realizes that he cannot claim in marriage a woman who is so far above him. He donates the treasure to the war cause and decides to join the Hussars. Ottokar follows suit, and even Zsupan becomes a Hussar - by accident.

ACT III: The war is over and the victorious troops are returning to Vienna. The populace is waiting, along with Arsena and Mirabella. Zsupan returns, decked out in a dazzling collection of medals. Amid great jubilation, the Hungarian regiment marches into the city. Count Homonay cites Barinkay for his bravery and bestows on him the Empress's threefold reward: he is elevated to the rank of baron, the war chest is returned to him, and Saffi and Barinkay are united.