These extravagant events, which featured elaborate costumes, fabulous machines, and instrumental and vocal interludes in addition to the dance numbers, were among the most important entertainments at the French court in the late 16th and 17th centuries. Produced under the patronage of the French kings and flagrantly exalting royal power and authority, their purpose was as much political as artistic.
Most of Lully's works in this genre date from between 1657-1671. The two ballets de cour in the UNT Lully collection [Le triomphe de l'Amour (1681) and Le temple de la paix (1685)] were among Lully's last in the genre, and are more operatic in their structure.
Six Italian operas were performed in Paris between 1645 and 1662 under the aegis of the Italian First Minister Cardinal Mazarin. Lully contributed dance music to two of these: Cavalli's Xerse (1660) and Ercole amante (1662), which was composed for the wedding of Louis XIV to the Spanish Infanta Maria Theresa. Despite the Cardinal's support, these operas had little appeal to the French courtiers, who objected to the use of the Italian language and the length of the performances. The only elements to receive general praise were concessions to French taste: spectacular stage machinery, extravagant settings and ballets, which had been added especially for the Paris performances. 1669: Pierre Perrin obtained royal monopoly to form an Académie d'Opéra to produce operas in Paris. When the first production was successful, Lully moved in. five acts and a prologue (from classic French drama)
The close relationship between Lully and Louis XIV had a large part in the development of French opera. The King was the primary patron of opera, and all Lully's operas included preludes praising the monarchy. Louis suggested a number of the plots for the operas to Lully, notably those whose subject matter centers around the conflict between glory and duty on the one hand, and love on the other. In his published scores, Lully always included a preface dedicating the work to his patron.
Quinault, with whom he had already collaborated on two ballets, was to provide librettos for 11 of Lully's 16 tragédies lyriques.
Manuscript copies of the scores were sold at the door.
five acts and a prologue