The opera "La finta amante" was written and performed for the first time by request of Catherine II specially on the occasion of her meeting with the Austrian emperor Joseph II in 1780. After the successful premiere it was repeatedly performed in Russia, and then was performed with triumph on the best scenes of Europe: Vienna (1784), Karlsruhe (1786), Krakow, Florence, Mannheim, Naples (1788), Frankfurt, Palermo and Paris (1793). Then the opera has been forgotten for more than 200 years, and its first performance in Russia after 220 years will take place on September 22.