The opera premiered in 1965 in Palermo with soprano Cathy Berberian, who portrayed the titular characters from two novels by the Marquis de Sade, Justine and Juliette.

The Italian composer Sylvano Bussotti was inspired for his stage work La Passion selon Sade by Sonnet II, a poem by Louise Labé from the 16th century,[2] a "contemplation of love caught between the polar opposites of joy and despair"[1] and Marquis de Sade's novels Justine and Juliette,[2] in which "hope of a virtuous life is abandoned for the destructive pursuit of pleasure".

[2][4] It premiered on 5 September 1965 in a preview at Palermo's Teatro Biondo, directed by the composer in a set designed by him, with soprano Cathy Berberian[5] and conducted by Romano Amidei.

[4] A revival was given in 2017 by the Théâtre Bernadette Lafont in Nîmes, directed by Antoine Gindt and conducted by Léo Warynski, with soprano Raquel Camarinha and the Ensemble Multilatérale.

[4] The mezzo performs the roles of both Sade protagonists, Justine and Juliette, and the instrumentalists are also expected to act and sing.