La Naissance de Vénus

La Naissance de Vénus was produced as an opera with music by Pascal Colasse and a libretto by the abbé Jean Pic. As with Les Saisons, Colasse borrowed music for some portions of La Naissance de Vénus from manuscripts by Lully, to which he had access. The description of the work as an opera had no special significance at this time, since this word was used to designate any composition sung throughout its representation. It had its premiere at the Palais-Royal on 1 May 1696, but Le Journal de…