When the court opera director Wilhelm Jahn commissioned Johann Strauss Jr to write a ‘genuine’ opera, the Waltz King readily accepted. The result was Ritter Pásmán, his only stage work to step into the more exclusive genre of opera, even though the plot is reminiscent of the world of operetta. Based on the narrative poem Pázmán lovag by the Hungarian writer János Aranyi (1817–1882), it deals with jealousy and reciprocity. The comic opera’s premiere at the Vienna Court Opera on New Year’s Day 1892 was a major society event, but its artistic success lagged somewhat behind; the reviewers of the premiere gave it a cool reception, even though they hailed the ballet music at the beginning of Act III as an absolute masterpiece. (It’s worth noting that this was the first time a cimbalom had been used in the court opera orchestra.)

This is a live recording of a performance at the Vienna Musikverein on 27 October 1975, with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra directed by Heinz Wallberg. The cast of singers includes Eberhard Waechter (Ritter Pásmán), Sona Ghazarian (Queen), Josef Hopfwieser (Hungarian King) and Truedeliese Schmidt (Eva). The recording includes the complete ballet music as bonus tracks, performed by the Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Alfred Walter.

Cast:
- Ritter Pásmán: Eberhard Waechter
- Karl Robert von Anjou: Josef Hopfwieser
- Die Königin / The Queen: Sona Ghazarian
- Eva: Trudeliese Schmidt
- Rodomonte: Artur Korn
- Hofmarschall Omodé: Horst Witsche
- Gundy: Axelle Gall
- Mischu: Peter Drahosch