[citation needed] Although the press praised Strauss's music, they criticized the libretto as banal and silly; for instance, references were made to roast beef made from the sole of a boot and, in the waltz scene, the character of Duke Urbino was singing passages of "meows", which was met with much embarrassment from the Berlin audience.

[citation needed] Unperturbed, Strauss made several alterations to the work with his librettists and scored a triumph in his native Vienna at the Theater an der Wien, where it ran for 44 consecutive performances from 9 October 1883.

[citation needed] The operetta became established as one of Strauss's three most recognisable stage works alongside Die Fledermaus and Der Zigeunerbaron.

In a square on the Grand Canal, with a view across to the Ducal Palace and the Isle of San Giorgio, people stroll around as the sun goes down, while the tradeswomen call out their wares.

Pappacoda greets her, hinting that what has really brought her hither is the imminent arrival of the Duke of Urbino, and more particularly his barber Caramello, Annina's sweetheart.

"After all, I'm passionately in love with Ciboletta, Signora Delacqua's pretty cook – a girl as stupid as this oyster, and yet just as appetising, just as worthy of catching!"

The senators return from a stormy session, discussing the banquet that the Duke of Urbino is to give today when he arrives for his annual Carnival-time visit to Venice.

The Duke is a notorious womaniser and has already cast his roving eye on Barbara, so Delacqua has taken the precaution of arranging for his wife to be taken by gondola to Murano to stay with an old abbess aunt in the convent there.

The Duke's arrival is signalled by the appearance of a gondola carrying his personal barber, Caramello, who is warmly greeted by the crowd.

She becomes interested enough when the subject of their talk turns to marriage, but Caramello explains that he is eager to obtain a position as the Duke's steward before committing himself to matrimony.

Annina is determined to be back within the hour so that she may join in the Carnival dancing with Caramello, Pappacoda and Ciboletta in masks borrowed from their masters.

Inside the Delacqua house Barbara and Annina are making their final preparations, putting on the domino masks that will disguise them, as they await the sound of the gondolier's song that is to be the agreed signal.

While they are away, Caramello opens the doors to the Duke's apartments, and a crowd enters, including Pappacoda, prominent in a faded, shabby senator's costume with false, misshapen nose and spectacles and with his pockets stuffed with sausages, meat and pastries.

The cook gives a timely discourse on his culinary arts before the senators' wives arrive seeking the Duke's attention.

In the Piazza, before the moonlit cathedral, the revellers are celebrating, but Caramello stands alone, reflecting upon Annina's flirtation with the Duke and lamenting the fickleness of women.

Fanfares announce the start of the grand Carnival procession, in which all sections of Venetian life are represented and, when it is over, the pigeons of St. Mark's flutter down into the square.

The Duke is decidedly less interested in Barbara when he discovers that she has a nephew as big as Enrico, and he rewards Caramello for delivering him from a potentially awkward situation by making him his steward.