The story of an unfaithful husband who is captivated by his own wife, whose face is concealed behind a carnival mask, has won widespread acclaim and delighted audiences everywhere. A spirit of dance permeates every number in the score, beginning with the overture, in which the principal themes of the operetta are brought together with remarkable lightness and elegance. Here, the waltz, wine, and uninhibited merriment reign supreme.

The words from the duet between Alfred and Rosalinde serve as a leitmotif throughout the operetta: “Happy is he who walks past sorrow and cares.”