In 1860 the curtain of the Carl-Theater in Vienna rose on the first German-language production of Offenbach's parody of Greek mythology, 'Orphée aux enfers ('Orpheus in the Underworld'). Sitting among the audience in the stalls was Johann Strauss. Enraptured by Offenbach's tuneful score he quickly fashioned a quadrille from some of the stage work's most attractive themes. The first performance of Strauss's Orpheus-Quadrille took place on 18 April 1860, when Johann himself conducted the new work ...