 After some initial success the work faded from the repertoire.Ali Baba was a popular subject for operas (Cherubini, 1833, Bottesini, 1871), pantomimes and extravaganzas in Paris and London during the nineteenth century.Both librettists were experienced in opéra-bouffe and had previously worked with Lecocq, Busnach from 1866 with "Myosotis", Vanloo starting in 1874 with "Giroflé-Girofla"; the two men had met in 1868 when Vanloo had submitted an opéra-bouffe for consideration to Busnach who was at the time the director of the Théâtre de l'Athénée.