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This is a 1766 copy of the libretto of the one-act comic opera "Le cadi dupé" (The duped judge), by Pierre René Lemonnier to music by Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny. The first performance of the opera took place at the Paris Foire St-Germain on 4 February 1761. Christoph Willibald Gluck's music replaced that of Monsigny's for the 8 December 1761 performance at the Burgtheater in Vienna.

Libretto of the 1684 opera "Amadis," by Philippe Quinolt. The premiere of Amadis was delayed for a year after Lully completed its composition in order to allow the proper mourning period for Marie Thérese, wife of Louis XIV, who died in July of 1683. While still abstaining from theater at court, Louis XIV at last allowed the first public presentation of "Amadis" at the Opéra in Paris on 18 January 1684. It was an immediate public success. On the title page for this opera, there is a lithograph illustration of the god Apollo holding a lyre and the goddess Euterpe playing a stringed instrument that resembles a guitar. It also depicts the fleur de lis, and on the background, an allegorical image Louis XIV, the Sun King.

Libretto of the 1691 opera "Astrée" by Jean de la Fontaine. Pascal Collasse composed the music of the opera which premiered under the title "Astrée et Céladon" on November 25, 1692.

Libretto of the 1691 "Coronis," a French lyrical genre called pastorale-heroïque, representing the love of nobles or gods often disguised as shepherds (or shepherdesses) in Arcadian settings. Daniel-Paul Chappuzeau de Baugé wrote the libretto and Teobaldo de Gatti composed its music.

Libretto of the opera "Enée et Lavinie" by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle. Pascal Collasse composed the music of the opera which premiered on November 7, 1690. The plot, which Bovier de Fontenelle adapted from Virgil's "Aeneid, Book vii," revolves around the marriage of Enée (i.e., Aeneas) to the Latin bride Lavinia.

Libretto of the opera "Isis," by Philippe Quinolt. The music of the opera was composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully's and premiered on January 5, 1677 at St. Germain-en-Laye. The libretto is a loose adaptation of one of the episodes in Ovid's Metamorphoses. The plot resembles that of Lully's previous opera, Atys. It is set in pastoral and divine realms. In the opera, Jupiter courts the nymph Io, and jealous Juno imprisons her under the hundred watchful eyes of Argus. The god Mercury helps Io to escape and turns Hiérax, Io's former lover, into a bird when he tries to interfere. Then, Juno orders a Fury to torment Io. After a series of tortures, Io invokes Jupiter who interferes with Juno promising he will be faithful to her in exchange of her sparing Io. Juno then transforms Io into the Egyptian goddess Isis. On the title page for this opera, there is a lithograph illustration of the god Apollo holding a lyre and the goddess Euterpe playing a stringed instrument that resembles a guitar. It also depicts the fleur de lis, and on the background, an allegorical image Louis XIV, the Sun King.

This is a ca. 1857 copy of the libretto of Jeannot et Colin, an opera by Charles Etienne with music by Nicolo Isouard. The opera premiered in Paris at the theater of the Opéra-Comique on 17 October 1814. The expressive melodies of the opera as well as its performers ensured its success. The opera was staged again on 14 October 1857. The first page of the library's copy contain the names of the performers that participated in both productions.

Libretto of the ballet "Le triomphe de l'amour" written by Philippe Quinault in collaboration with Isaac de Benserade. It is divided in two parts. The first, contais the prologue and the ballet entrances (i.e., entrées); the second part contains flattering comments and instructions directed to the noble people participating in the ballet. Each of the entrées that comprise "Le Triomphe de l'Amour" reveal aspects of love triumphant. The theater represents a magnificently ornate place where a crowd receives Amour (i.e., the god Love), the son of Venus. The latter presides over the crowd and sings of the virtues of the king who has restored peace to his kingdom. Venus entreats everyone to pay homage to her victorious son. The first performance took place at Saint-Germain-en-Laye on January 21, 1681. The twenty entrées of this 'ballet de cour' (i.e., court ballet) were choreographed by Pierre Beauchamp with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully. Carlo Vigarani designed the stage décor and Jean Berain provided designs for costumes and decorations of this royal festivity. This copy includes a frontispiece engraving that depicts a stage setting by Daniel Marot.

Libretto of the opera "Phaeton," by Philippe Quinolt. The plot is based on an episode in Ovid's Metamorphoses. In the plot, Phaethon, son of Climène and Soleil [the Sun], is filled with excessive ambition and pride. He abandons his beloved, Théone, and requests to the King of Egypt the hand of his daughter Libie. Climène, who after consulting the sea god Proteus knows of the demise that her son's avarice will bring upon himself, tries in vain to discourage his ambition for the throne of Egypt and urges him to renew his love for Theona. However, Phaeton goaded by the taunts of his rival, Epaphus, rides recklessly across the sky in his father's chariot. The spectacular ending includes Jupiter's thunderbolts aimed at stopping Phaethon's wild ride, and Phaethon crashing onto earth where he dies. An ensemble and chorus provide a sorrowful denouement. On the title page for this opera, there is a lithograph illustration of the god Apollo holding a lyre and the goddess Euterpe playing a stringed instrument that resembles a guitar. It also depicts the fleur de lis, and on the background, an allegorical image Louis XIV, the Sun King. It also includes an engraved frontispiece titled, "Le trébuchement de Phaeton" (The Fall of Phaeton) by Jean le Pautre.

Libretto of the opera "Proserpine," by Philippe Quinolt; the plot is based on the story of the abduction of Proserpine and her descent into Hades, and also on Ovid's Metamorphoses, its original source. In the plot, Cerés, the goddess of the earth, summons the nymph Aréthuse to guard her daughter Proserpine. Aréthuse protests, and tells Cerés of her love for Alphée, the river god, but the anxious mother warns her she should not let her own feelings interfere with the assigned task. Alphée assumes that Aréthuse abandoned him to look after Proserpine. Taking advantage of the situation, Ascalaphe, Pluto's envoy, encourages Alphée's belief in Aréthuse's supposed infidelity; then, persuades both Alphée and Aréthuse into letting Pluto watch over Proserpine. Alphée and Aréthuse agree and as the lovers' attention wanders, Pluto seizes Proserpine and abducts her. Cerés learns of her daughter's abduction and in despair decides to withhold her gifts that give earth prosperity. When Alphée and Aréthuse finally reach Proserpine, they find that she has already eaten of the grain and tasted the fruit of the underworld, which condemned her to Pluto's control. Proserpine begs Pluto for mercy, but the love-stricken god refuses to free her. Pluto summons his judges and three furies, who support his claim to keep Proserpine with him, even at the cost of bringing devastation to earth. As Cerés laments, Alphée and Aréthuse approach to tell her that Proserpine is held by Pluto and that she is now the queen of the underworld. Cerés calls Jupiter and demands the return of daughter. Mercure descends and tells Cerés that the gods heard her plea and reached a compromise to allow Proserpine to be Pluto's wife and queen, while spending several months of each year with her mother. The title page contains a lithograph illustration of a winged …

Libretto of the opera "Roland" by Philippe Quinault; he based the plot of Roland on medieval legends of chivalry, setting episodes from Ludovico Ariosto's epic poem "Orlando furioso." Roland centers on the conflict between duty and love and the intervention of goddesses. This copy includes includes handwritten annotations of performers' names, and a frontispiece engraving undersigned by Jean Dolivar (i.e., Juan Dolivar) that illustrates one of the scenes from the opera. Jean-Baptiste Lully composed the music of the opera which premiered on January 8, 1685.

Libretto of the opera "Thetis et Pelée" by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle. In the plot, the Nereid Thetis is wooed by Jupiter and Neptune, as well as by a mortal, Pelée (Peleus). When a storm caused by Neptune disrupts a celebration Jupiter gave in honor of Thetis, an oracle is consulted, which foretells that Thetis's husband will one day be less powerful than his son. Neptune and Jupiter withdraw their claims, and Thetis marries Pelée. Pascal Collasse composed the music of the opera which premiered at the Paris Opéra on January 11, 1689. This copy includes an engraved frontispiece titled, "Thetis et Pelée" by Juan Dolivar (undersigned as J. Dolivart).

This is a digital reproduction of the 1688 libretto of the opera "Zephire et Flore" by Michel Du Boullay. The music of the opera is attributed to Louis and Jean-Louis Lully, sons of Jean-Baptiste Lully. It was performed for the first time on March 22, 1688 at the Palais Royale in Paris.

This is the 1773 edition of the libretto to the comic opera and vaudeville, "Pigmalion" by Charles-François Panard and Thomas Laffichard. The opera premiered at the Paris Opéra Comique in 1735 . The plot is an adaptation of Ovid's story of Pygmalion, a sculptor who fell in love with a statue that he carved. Operatic and ballet representation of the subject of Pigmalion (or Pygmalion) became famous after Antoine Houdar de la Motte's entrée "La sculpture" for the ballet "Le triomphe des arts," which staged in 1700 at Académie Royale de Musique with music by Michel de la Barre. Page 16 of this edition was incorrectly numbered as number 10.

This is a ca. 1778 libretto for the burlesque opera in three acts "Momie" by a Jean Étiennethat Despréaux. The opera is a parody based on Leblanc du Roullet's libretto of "Iphigénie en Aulide," an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck. The libretto includes the titles of the tunes at the opening of each scene. Page 6 of the library's copy is incorrectly numbered as page 9.

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