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Firmly established as one of Strauss' most popular operettas, Eine Nacht in Venedig (1883) tells the story of one eventful evening in eighteenth-century Venice. The Duke arrives for Carnival. He has eyes for Barbara Delacqua, the wife of the Venetian senator. Her husband seeks to prevent this from happening, but without scaring away the Duke, who has an administrative post to fill on his estates. Delacqua has an idea – to spirit Barbara away to the island of Murano, and to present the chambermaid Ciboletta in her place. But the plan misfires: the Duke's barber, Caramello, learns of the scheme, and – disguised as a gondolier - takes the also disguised 'Barbara' to the Duke's palace. However, Caramello's own fiancée Annina has come to the aid of Barbara and assumed her identity while she secretly meets her nephew-in-law Enrico. And so, at the Palazzo Urbino, Caramello courts Annina in the mistaken belief that she is the wife of the senator! Caramello is forced to watch his master the Duke getting closer and closer to the feigned Barbara. All join forces to obstruct the lecherous Duke, but before he can withdraw completely with Barbara the clock strikes midnight, and all are summoned to join the masked throng on the Piazza San Marco…
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