About the work
A one-act singspiel, Lortzing's first completed stage work, for which he also wrote the libretto. It premiered on 1 February 1828 in Münster, where Lortzing and his wife were engaged as actor-singers; further early performances followed that same year in Detmold and Osnabrück. For his debut at age twenty-six, he chose an oriental subject then very much in fashion.
Plot
The fiancée of French captain Bernier, Arianna, is abducted and taken into the harem of the Albanian ruler Ali Pascha. When Bernier tracks her down and tries to free her, the Pascha has him imprisoned. A military raid led by Lieutenant Robert eventually frees them both, enabling their escape to France.
Cultural significance
As Lortzing's compositional debut, the work is chiefly of interest for its place in his development. Its title figure is based on the real Albanian ruler Ali Pascha Tepelena, whose revolt against Ottoman central power caused a stir across Europe in the 1820s.