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The
Story…
Our story begins in the small town
of Zrinyi in Hungary during the height of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Many
years ago, the area had been ruled by Feodor Barinkay who, because of his
kindness to the Romany Gipsies in allowing them to camp undisturbed on his
land, was known as “ The Gipsy Baron.” After one of the many wars with the
Turks when Zrinyi had been overrun, Barinkay took pity on the Turkish
Governor, who had earlier saved his life, and gave him shelter in his
castle. For this offence Barinkay was exiled with his young son Sandor, for
life. Before the Turkish Governor was executed, he hid his fortune in the
castle, but nobody seems to know where.
For many years the castle has
lain empty, but the gipsies still camp in the grounds. Their life is being
made increasingly unbearable by the pompous Mayor, Kalman Zsupan, whose
only interest is in pig breeding. He allows his massive herd of pigs to run
wild in the castle grounds. The gipsies, angry at this action, have
gathered in front of Zsupan’s house to complain, but neither Zsupan nor his
general factotum, Otto, are prepared to concede to the gip 1975 The Gipsy
Baron The arrival of Count Karcsk from Vienna, bringing the news that
Barinkay has been pardoned and is about the
family home, fills Zsupan with foreboding. He realises he will no
longer be the most important man in the area, and immediately plans to
marry his only daughter Arietta to Sandor Barinkay.
Barinkay’s arrival is greeted
with great enthusiasm, and he immediately promises to treat the gipsies
with the same kindness as his father. This angers Zsupan, and Sandor pours
salt on the wound by rejecting Arietta's advances, much to the delight of
Otto who hopes to marry her himself and inherit Zsupan’s estate. The
gipsies introduce Barinkay to their Queen, Czipra, who is accompanied by her beautiful grand-daughter Saffi.
Barinkay immediately falls in love with Safii and announces that he will
marry her as soon as she returns his love. Saffi takes only a week to
decide she loves Barinkay, and is about to marry him in Romany fashion when
the celebrations arc interrupted by the arrival of Zsupan and his entourage
including Kareska. They are determined to find the Governor’s lost
treasure, but are once again foiled when Czipra announces that she has had
the key to the treasure all along, and has also documents to prove that her
grand-daughter Saffi is the daughter of the Governor and the treasure hers
by right. At this point they are interrupted by the arrival of Graf Peter
Homonoy, the Governor of the Province, bearing the news that the Turks have
invaded once again, and that he is seeking volunteers to fight. Barinkay
offers to lead a gipsy regiment, and in the general rejoicing Zsupan and
Otto find they have also enlisted. Homonoy then insists that Saffi, with
her Turkish background, must be placed under the protection of Kareska and
the treasure impounded until after the war.
The war over and Barinkay’s
regiment of gipsies - victorious - return to Vienna. Zsupan decides to marry
his Housekeeper, Mirabella, and Otto is accepted by Arietta. Homonoy,
disgusted at Kareska’s treatment of Safii during her house arrest,
dismisses him, and in gratitude for Barinkay’s military success raises him
to the rank of Baron. All that remains is for the postponed wedding of
Barinkay and Saffi to take place, and in true operatic tradition, almost
everyone lives happily ever after.
Cast
and Crew…
With special thanks to Mike Ellis and the late, great Beryl Creer.
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