Various - Johann Strauss II: Ritter P�sm�n

When the court opera director Wilhelm Jahn commissioned Johann Strauss Jr to write a �genuine� opera, the Waltz King readily accepted. The result was Ritter P�sm�n, his only stage work to step into the more exclusive genre of opera, even though the plot is reminiscent of the world of operetta. Based on the narrative poem P�zm�n lovag by the Hungarian writer J�nos Aranyi (1817-1882), it deals with jealousy and reciprocity. The comic opera's premiere at the Vienna Court Opera on New Year�s Day 1892 was a major society event, but its artistic success lagged somewhat behind; the reviewers of the premiere gave it a cool reception, even though they hailed the ballet music at the beginning of Act III as an absolute masterpiece. (It's worth noting that this was the first time a cimbalom had been used in the court opera orchestra).