Psyché

Psyché was the first work created by Jean-Baptiste Lully and Thomas Corneille after the banishment from Court of Lully’s first librettist, Philippe Quinault. It had its premiere at the Palais-Royal on 18 April 1678. Although Psyché is alleged to have been written in haste, it offered Lully a well-unified text based upon the legend of the love affair between Cupid and Psyché. The action moves clearly and simply from act to act. Psyché is informed by the oracle that she must sacrifice herself to…