Paradise Lost (Penderecki)

Paradise Lost
Opera by Krzysztof Penderecki
The composer in 2008
Description	Sacra Rappresentazione
Librettist	Christopher Fry
Language	English
Based on	Ubu Roi by Alfred Jarry
Premiere	29 November 1978 (1978-11-29) Lyric Opera of Chicago

Paradise Lost is an opera in two acts with music by Krzysztof Penderecki and an English libretto by Christopher Fry. The opera is based on the epic poem of the same name by Milton. Penderecki himself characterized the work as a Sacra Rappresentazione (sacred representation) rather than an opera. He wrote the opera on commission for the 1976 US Bicentennial celebrations. The first performance was given on 29 November 1978, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The same production was given at La Scala, Milan on 31 January 1979.

The opera is set in heaven, hell, and on earth at the dawn of creation, and is divided into 42 scenes.