ISIS By Quinault

About This Book

Isis is the libretto by Philippe Quinault (1635–1688) for the tragédie en musique composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, first performed at Saint-Germain-en-Laye on 5 January 1677. The opera dramatizes the myth of Io from Ovid's Metamorphoses: Jupiter's love for the nymph Io provokes the jealousy of Juno, who transforms her rival into a heifer and subjects her to torment before Jupiter finally intervenes. The work was controversial at court, as audiences read the jealous Juno as a portrait of Madame de Montespan, the king's mistress. The libretto is in the public domain.

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