In 1885, eleven years after the production of Die Fledermaus, Der Zigeuner-baron was staged, and was as instantaneously successful as all the rest. It is described as an operetta, as are all the stage works of Johann Strauss , but as a matter of fact, the music is on a rather higher level than Strauss had before attempted. It is nearer the standard of opéra comique than of operetta, and of infinitely better quality than the plot deserves.