Libretto of the opera ANDROMEDA. Title page

At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, Western European cultural and artistic innovations began to reach Lithuania almost without delay. Opera appeared very early in Lithuania. This was due to the interest of the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Władysław Vasa (1595–1648) in this genre. DAPHNE, created in 1592 by the Italian composer Jacopo Peri (1561–1633), is considered to be the first opera work in the world (staged in 1597), while the beginning of the Lithuanian musical theatre dates back to 1636, when the Italian opera THE ELENA KIDNAPPING was performed in the Lower Castle of Vilnius. In the theatre of this palace, CIRCE DELUSA and ANDROMEDA was also staged. Displayed is the libretto of the latter opera created by Virgilio Puccitelli (1599–1654), an Italian poet, musician, and singer of the Władysław Vasa palace capella choir.

Text compiled by P. Bagočiūnas, V. Girininkaitė