Das Lied vom Rand der Welt oder Der „Zigeunerbaron“

Returning home to claim his inheritance after long years of absence, young Sandor Bárinkay finds his swampy property occupied by a truculent pig-breeder called Zsupán. Looking for a peaceable solution, the two men agree that Bárinkay shall marry Zsupán’s comely daughter, Arsena. Arsena
is already secretly betrothed and refuses to marry anyone lower than a baron. But help is in the offing. A group of social misfits declare Bárinkay to be their long-lost leader and a baron into the bargain. Musically, Strauss’ successful operetta (1885) is as sophisticated as its content is controversial.
Here, the literary reworking of the plot comes from Roland Schimmelpfennig, one of Germany’s leading contemporary dramatists. His new version of a plot centring around property, love, war, social circumstance and self-empowerment combines fairy-tale enchantment with heart-wrenching
individual despair. The unique Tyrolean chamber ensemble Musicbanda Franui is reinforced by eight string-players, thus giving Strauss’ beloved melodies a whole new dimension.