Der lustige Krieg

Der lustige Krieg (The Merry War) is a three-act operetta composed by Johann Strauss II.

The work was first performed on 25 November 1881 at the Theater an der Wien.

Its libretto was by F. Zell (Camillo Walzel) and Richard Genée.

The operetta was well received at its premiere, and was performed 69 times during its first run.

The 'war' between them is played out as a game of love between Colonel Umberto Spinola, the commander-in-chief of the Genoese army, and the widowed Countess Violetta.