Prince Bob is an operetta

Operetta

Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...

 in three acts by Jenő Huszka

Jeno Huszka

Jenő Huszka was a Hungarian composer of operettas. He was born in Szeged and died in Budapest.- Life :...

. The libretto

Libretto

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...

 was written by Ferenc Martos and Károly Bakonyi.

Performance history

The operetta premiered on December 20, 1902 at Népszínház in Budapest

Budapest

Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...

, Hungary

Hungary

Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...

 and is considered to be Huszka's first critical success.

Synopsis

The story concerns a young prince named George. However, he does not enjoy his princely duties and does not love the princess to whom he is betrothed, so he and his friend sneak out to London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 for some fun ("Londonban, hej"). He uses a pseudonym

Pseudonym

A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...

, Bob. In London, he meets the pretty Annie, a poor girl. She does not know that he is the prince in disguise. The story is about how George becomes king, and the romances between George and Annie and between his betrothed princess and a soldier.