The opera Paria (The Pariah) is unlike any of Stanisław Moniuszko's other operas. It differs from them in its subject matter, musical form and the time which the composer devoted to conceiving and composing it. Moniuszko's opera Paria took many years to complete and stage. Though he was inspired by Delavigne's tragedy of the same name, he wasn't the first to see its operatic potential; Gaetano Donizetti had also explored it with his opera Il Paria.

By 1859, after successes with Halka and The Raftsman, Moniuszko was highly regarded and received numerous librettos. Returning from Paris, he revisited Paria, collaborating with Jan Chęciński, who was handed Moniuszko's detailed Polish translation of Delavigne's text. Moniuszko's libretto was meticulously prepared, with careful attention to operatic structure, including act and scene divisions, stage directions, and specific performance instructions. He also included practical notes, such as recommending vowel sounds that are easier to sing. This detailed preparation reflects his dedication to the opera's success.

At the 'Chopin and his Europe' festival, Fabio Biondi interprets operas by Moniuszko alongside the operas of his fellow Italians: Bellini, early Verdi and less familiar Donizetti. In that company, Moniuszko seems rather behind the times. But then the whole of our national culture, stifled by the partitioning powers, was behind the times. Moniuszko, however, lifted himself up with his talent. And his Paria proves to be an interesting late Romantic opera of European calibre.