It is not altogether clear whether Der alter tzigayner was part of a theatrical production or whether it was one of Ellstein’s independent songs. One latter-day (1970s) but not always reliable source attributed it to Ellstein’s 1938 operetta Bublitshki (Little Bagels), starring Molly Picon and Aaron Lebedeff. The script or stage version of the play, however, has not been found, and the synopsis contained in the program booklet makes no mention of any of the show’s songs—as is frequently the case. As an operetta, the play obviously centered around songs, although this one was not copyrighted until its folio publication five years after the production. On the other hand, a newspaper review of the show refers to “an old fiddler” as a “high point of the evening’s entertainment.” Further complicating the uncertainty is the possibility of multiple but unrelated shows with the same title. In any case, Der alter tzigayner certainly stands on its own as a song, celebrating the typically romanticized perception of Gypsy violinists.