It is a strange case, even rather confusing. There are people who know each other and yet do not recognize each other, there are others who know and recognize each other but for a few hours do not want to know each other. There are false titles and genuine disguises, drunken officials and a singer in the street. How does all this fit in? And yet, there is a certain logic, for what starts in court must - somewhat logically - end up in prison.

We hear contradictory reports about the lawsuit: the accused felt „betrayed“ and „sold out“ by his lawyer; the latter attributes the failure of his defence strategy to the choleric temper of his client, who is a rude fellow, swearing all the time. The fact: 8 days in jail starting on the day of passing the sentence.

WAs things go: the delinquent turns himself in one day later - and has to realise that „he“ is already behind bars. Which is not just a hallucination caused by plentiful alcohol during the last hours of freedom. No, he is already in jail - although he has spent the whole night at a masked ball, even with a new love, a mysterious person whose identity has remained hidden in spite of his attempts of seduction.

Let us switch back to the feast in the previous night, a feast in the palace of an extravagant nabob: although married our delinquent is always bent on new conquests. Under an assumed name, naturally alone, he mixes with the ladies during the ball and soon discovers the object of his desires: „a magic creature“, „sweet and dainty“ that makes him „half confused“.

The other half of his consciousness suffices to make him resort to an old trick - obviously well-tested. This time, however, it fails - on the contrary, it costs him his watch. The latter disappears in the lady’s decolleté - never to be seen again as he thinks.

And yet: there is a re-encounter, in the prison where the delinquent should have been for a whole day and where another one is sitting in his place and singing. And there he finds the sweetheart of the last night again - together with his watch. And he recognizes her at once. She is - his wife.

That is impossible? As the operetta says: Anything is possible!

Who met whom?
What is the nabob’s name?
What is the singer’s name?
When was the operetta composed?
Who wrote the libretto and the model for it?