Der Karneval in Rom

Marie is waiting for painter Arthur to return from Rome and marry her. Finally, she loses patience, dons male garb and arrives in Rome for the carnival season. Here the gender-swopping complications are mind-boggling. Arthur fails to recognise Marie and gives her an apprenticeship. She stymies all his amorous affairs until he realises that she is the only one for him. Strauss’ second operetta is a neglected masterpiece. In this concert performance, raconteur Nikolaus Habjan fills us in on all the ramifications.