La Périchole by Offenbach reached Russia only a year after its French premiere, in 1869. The first time it was performed in French, but a Russian translation was ready that same year. An operetta was named Ptichki pevchie (Singing Birds), in the concluding verses of which strolling artists Piquillo and La Périchole compare themselves to singing birds, leaving Lima.

The libretto of one of the most famous operas by Offenbach was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. It was based on the comedy Le Carrosse du Saint-Sacrement by Prosper Mérimée. The main female character had a real-life prototype: a famous Peruvian actress and singer, Maria Micaela Villegas Hurtado (1748-1819). Her nickname was La Périchole and she was a lover of the Viceroy of Peru, Manuel de Amat y Junyent. Unlike other characters of similar stories, the real La Périchole, as well as her stage realisation, who was a heroine of a comedy and opera buffa, had a relatively happy fate. She performed on stage for a quarter of a century, subsequently got married and was even involved in charity.