About the work
Grand opera in five acts by Jules Massenet with a libretto by Louis Gallet, set in eleventh-century Lahore around the temple of the god Indra. Its premiere on 27 April 1877 at the Paris Opéra was Massenet's first work staged at that house and his breakthrough to international fame.
Plot
King Alim of Lahore loves the temple priestess Sitâ but is mortally wounded in combat by his own minister Scindia, who also desires her. The god Indra grants him a brief return to earthly life, but on learning that Sitâ has killed herself in despair, Alim chooses to return with her to paradise rather than keep his throne.
Cultural significance
The premiere's success spread across Europe within a year and established Massenet as one of the most sought-after opera composers of his generation. Once the opera itself had faded from the repertoire, Scindia's aria 'Promesse de mon avenir' remained the one piece to survive in concert use.