Micaela Villegas
Encyclopedia
Maria Micaela Villegas Hurtado (September 28, 1748—May 16, 1819), known as La Perricholi, was arguably the most famous Peru
vian woman of the eighteenth century. She was a celebrated entertainer and the famous mistress of Manuel de Amat y Juniet
, Viceroy of Peru
from 1761 to 1776. Their son, Manuel de Amat y Villegas, was one of the signers of Peru’s declaration of independence from Spain on July 28, 1821.
La Perricholi was the sixth child born to Don José Villegas and Doña Teresa Hurtado de Mendoza. Born in either Tomayquichua (in the province of Huanuco) or the capital city of Lima
, she was baptized at the Lima Cathedral
on December 1, 1748.
She debuted on the stage of Coliseo de Comedias
in 1763 and became a popular star within romance and comedy. She retired in 1788, and married in 1795.
Ricardo Palma
in his most famous book: Tradiciones Peruanas
, writes about her life and describes her as charming woman, he also provides historical information about her relationship with Amat. According to what he says, she inspired him for building some of the most beautiful buildings in the colonial city of Lima such as: La Alameda de los Descalzos, La Quinta de Presa, el Templo de las Nazarenas or El Paseo de Aguas.
Her story provided the basis for Prosper Mérimée’s
comic one-act Le Carrosse du Saint-Sacrement, which in turn provided the basis for both Jacques Offenbach’s
opéra bouffe
, La Périchole
and Jean Renoir’s
1953 film
Le Carrosse d'or
(The Golden Coach).
A miniseries
has also been made based on her story in Lima, Peru in the year 1994. It had great success and launched the career of the young Mónica Sánchez
(that had the role of La Perricholi). It was written by Eduardo Adrianzen.
She and the Viceroy are also prominent characters in Thornton Wilder
's The Bridge of San Luis Rey
.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian woman of the eighteenth century. She was a celebrated entertainer and the famous mistress of Manuel de Amat y Juniet
Manuel de Amat y Juniet
Felipe Manuel Cayetano de Amat y de Juniet was a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator. He was the Royal Governor of the Captaincy General of Chile from December 28, 1755 to September 9, 1761, and Viceroy of Peru from October 12, 1761 to July 17, 1776.-Origins and military...
, Viceroy of Peru
Viceroyalty of Peru
Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
from 1761 to 1776. Their son, Manuel de Amat y Villegas, was one of the signers of Peru’s declaration of independence from Spain on July 28, 1821.
La Perricholi was the sixth child born to Don José Villegas and Doña Teresa Hurtado de Mendoza. Born in either Tomayquichua (in the province of Huanuco) or the capital city of Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, she was baptized at the Lima Cathedral
Lima Cathedral
The Basilica Cathedral of Lima is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the Plaza Mayor of downtown Lima, Peru. Construction began in 1535, and the building has undergone many reconstructions and transformation since, however it still retains its colonial structure and facade...
on December 1, 1748.
She debuted on the stage of Coliseo de Comedias
Teatro Manuel Ascencio Segura
The Teatro Manuel Ascencio Segura is a theatre and concert hall in Lima, Peru. It is one of the oldest theatres in South America.-History:In 1615 an open-air theater was built on the same spot where the Teatro Segura is located. This original open-air theater was destroyed by an earthquake on...
in 1763 and became a popular star within romance and comedy. She retired in 1788, and married in 1795.
Ricardo Palma
Ricardo Palma
Manuel Ricardo Palma Soriano was a Peruvian author, scholar, librarian and politician. His magnum opus is the Tradiciones peruanas.- Biography :...
in his most famous book: Tradiciones Peruanas
Tradiciones Peruanas
The Tradiciones Peruanas is a compendium of some of the writings of the Peruvian writer Ricardo Palma.-Introduction:The writings, which are collectively known as the Tradiciones, started appearing in 1863 in newspapers and magazines...
, writes about her life and describes her as charming woman, he also provides historical information about her relationship with Amat. According to what he says, she inspired him for building some of the most beautiful buildings in the colonial city of Lima such as: La Alameda de los Descalzos, La Quinta de Presa, el Templo de las Nazarenas or El Paseo de Aguas.
Her story provided the basis for Prosper Mérimée’s
Prosper Mérimée
Prosper Mérimée was a French dramatist, historian, archaeologist, and short story writer. He is perhaps best known for his novella Carmen, which became the basis of Bizet's opera Carmen.-Life:...
comic one-act Le Carrosse du Saint-Sacrement, which in turn provided the basis for both Jacques Offenbach’s
Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
opéra bouffe
Opéra bouffe
Opéra bouffe is a genre of late 19th-century French operetta, closely associated with Jacques Offenbach, who produced many of them at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens that gave its name to the form....
, La Périchole
La Périchole
La Périchole is an opéra bouffe in three acts by Jacques Offenbach. Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy wrote the French-language libretto based on the 1829 one act play Le carrosse du Saint-Sacrement by Prosper Mérimée, which was revived on 13 March 1850 at the Théâtre-Français...
and Jean Renoir’s
Jean Renoir
Jean Renoir was a French film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and author. As a film director and actor, he made more than forty films from the silent era to the end of the 1960s...
1953 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Le Carrosse d'or
The Golden Coach
The Golden Coach is a 1952 film directed by Jean Renoir that tells the story of a commedia dell'arte troupe in 18th century Peru. The screenplay was written by Renoir, Jack Kirkland, Renzo Avanzo and Giulio Macchi and is based on the play, Le Carrosse du Saint-Sacrement by Prosper Mérimée...
(The Golden Coach).
A miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
has also been made based on her story in Lima, Peru in the year 1994. It had great success and launched the career of the young Mónica Sánchez
Mónica Sánchez
Mónica Mariel Sánchez is a Peruvian actress. She was born at Lima.-Movies:*La Carnada *Captain Pantoja and the Special Services *Imposible Amor *Pasajeros *La Carnada...
(that had the role of La Perricholi). It was written by Eduardo Adrianzen.
She and the Viceroy are also prominent characters in Thornton Wilder
Thornton Wilder
Thornton Niven Wilder was an American playwright and novelist. He received three Pulitzer Prizes, one for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and two for his plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth, and a National Book Award for his novel The Eighth Day.-Early years:Wilder was born in Madison,...
's The Bridge of San Luis Rey
The Bridge of San Luis Rey
The Bridge of San Luis Rey is American author Thornton Wilder's second novel, first published in 1927 to worldwide acclaim. It tells the story of several interrelated people who die in the collapse of an Inca rope-fiber suspension bridge in Peru, and the events that lead up to their being on the...
.