The First World War broke out in August of that year, and Fedin’s attempts to return home failed. He was held in Dresden along with a number of his compatriots as a civilian internee. A large group of internees was sent to Lower Saxony, and Fedin ended up in Zittau, a typical German town, which just so happened to have a theatre. As Fedin wrote, “the company was large. The actors alternated between operetta and drama, playing in Hauptmann or Grillparzer today and breaking into Lehár or Strauss tomorrow. This thespian versatility, however, was mostly characteristic of smaller actors and chorus members, while the lead artists typically stayed faithful to either tragedy or the vocal genre”.

The opera was first staged at the Carinthian Gate Theatre in Vienna in 1847, premiering on 25 September. It was quite well known in the 19th century and enjoyed some success, being staged across Europe and Russia, both in the capitals and in many provincial theatres.

The story is set in 18th-century England during the reign of Queen Anne (Anne Stewart, 1665–1714). The main protagonists, the aristocrats Harriet and Nancy, amuse themselves by dressing up as peasant girls at the Richmond fair. Sir Tristan Mickleford (played by Konstantin Fedin) also becomes involved in their antics. Fedin would later describe the staging of the opera in great detail in his novel I Was an Actor, filling the episode with cutting humour and a generous helping of self-mockery. German papers noted the success of the young Russian baritone. The opera is hardly ever staged these days, but “Lyonel”s Aria” is still regularly featured in classical concerts.