[6] Strauss was introduced to Jókai's story prior to its publication as a novel in Pest, Hungary in February 1883 by his third wife Adele Deutsch.

[4] Jókai recommended the Hungarian-Austrian writer Ignaz Schnitzer to Strauss as a librettist, and the two men created the work over a two-year period from 1883 through 1885.

[4] Its genesis was rather swift and smooth, as Strauss was no stranger to the Hungarian influences apparent in the music score.

[7] Strauss' work on the operetta was interrupted in autumn 1883 due to nicotine poisoning and fainting fits and he was to recuperate in Franzensbad.

[7] The Gypsy Baron premiered at the Theater an der Wien on 24 October 1885, and quickly became an international success; enjoying popularity during the remainder of Strauss's life.

[9] The Hungarian premiere took place at the People's Theatre (Népszínház) [hu] in Budapest in the spring of 1886 with the composer conducting.

[10] The operetta was first staged by the Vienna State Opera on December 26, 1910 with conductor Felix Weingartner leading the musical forces.

[11] The US premiere took place on 15 February 1886 at the Casino Theatre on Broadway with tenor William Castle in the title role and soprano Pauline Hall as Saffi.

[3][12][13] It was first staged by the Metropolitan Opera exactly 20 years later on 15 February 1906 with Andreas Dippel in the title role, Bella Alten as Saffi, Louise Homer as Czipra, Otto Goritz as Kálmán Zsupá, Marie Rappold as Arsena, and Nahan Franko conducting.

[14] The Met staged the opera again in 1959 with Nicolai Gedda as Sándor Barinkay, Lisa Della Casa as Saffi, Regina Resnik as Czipra, Walter Slezak as Kálmán Zsupán, Laurel Hurley as Arsena, Paul Franke as Ottokar, Mignon Dunn as Mirabella, and Erich Leinsdorf conducting.

[15] Other notable performances in New York City included two presentations of the opera by the New York Philharmonic; first at Lewisohn Stadium in 1942 in a production staged by Herbert Graf and starring Margit Bokor as Saffi;[16] and second, in 1995 with tenor Stanford Olsen in the title role at Avery Fisher Hall under the baton of Kurt Masur.

[18] The original NYCO cast included William Horne in the title role and Marguerite Piazza and Polyna Stoska alternating as Saffi under the baton of Laszlo Halasz.

[19] In 1939 the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera staged the work using an English language translation by composer and lyricist Ann Ronell.

The UK professional premiere took place on 10 March 1938 at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, as part of the Carl Rosa Opera Company's spring season there.

The orchestral pieces that he furnished from the work were also well-recognised, among them, the sparkling Schatz-Walzer (Treasure Waltz), Op.

[7] Overview: The story, of the marriage of a landowner (returned from exile) and a gypsy girl who is revealed as the daughter of a Turkish pasha, and the rightful owner of a hidden treasure, involves a fortune-telling Romany queen, a self-important mayor, a rascally commissioner, a military governor, a band of gypsies and a troop of hussars.

Ottokár, son of Mirabella who is governess to Arsena (daughter of a miserly old farmer Zsupán) is digging for treasure which he fondly believes to be buried somewhere around.

She has been watching him for weeks and has a low opinion of his wasting time on this activity while the other Gypsies are out doing an "honest" day's work.

Sándor Barinkay, son of the late owner of the castle, arrives accompanied by Conte Carnero, Commissioner for Oaths, who is here to sort things out for him.

Zsupán arrives and tells everyone that he is a highly successful pig-breeder adding that he lives for sausages and wine and has little time for art.

Barinkay makes a formal proposal but Arsena tells him that she is descended from the aristocracy and can only marry someone of noble birth.

His cries for help bring Carnero, Mirabella, Ottokár and Arsena on the scene, followed by Barinkay, now dressed as a gypsy baron, and Saffi.