Powder her face

While in Spain, on the operatic stage, Don Juan can play the fool with his 1003 mistresses, in 1960s Britain the 88 lovers of the Duchess of Argyll Margaret Campbell were his ruin.

In a flashback, Thomas Adès' chamber opera Powder Her Face brings to life the debauchery of Margaret Campbell, whose lifestyle triggered one of Britain's biggest sex scandals.

In 1963, her marriage to the Duke of Argyll was dissolved in a spectacular trial, in which Polaroids showing the Duchess in sexually explicit poses were used as evidence. The tabloid press fed on her escapades and publicly stigmatised her by calling her the 'dirty duchess'.

With the verdict - media and judicial - Margaret's social and financial ruin began. Powder Her Face is a denunciation of society's double standards, as well as media voyeurism. The music is particularly convincing, with its complex instrumental rhythms, imaginative virtuoso vocals and references to swing and tango, which set the story in time.

• ORCHESTRA LEADERTIMOTHY REDMOND
• DIRECTION JULIEN CHAVAZ
• SET DESIGN ANNELIESE NEUDECKER
• COSTUME DESIGN SEVERINE BESSON
• LIGHTING DESIGN ELOI GIANINI

• THE DUCHESS SOPHIE MARILLEY
• THE ELECTRICIAN / THE GIGOLO, THE WAITER, THE BUSYBODY, TIMUR, DELIVERY BOY
• THE MAID, THE FRIEND, THE DUKE'S MISTRESS, THE NOSY GIRL, THE GOSSIP COLUMNIST ALISON SCHERZER
• IL DIRECTOR OF THE HOTEL, THE DUKE, THE LAUNDRY ATTENDANT, A GUEST OF THE HOTEL GRAEME DANBY
• ORCHESTRA ORCHESTRA HAYDN ORCHESTRA OF BOLZANO AND TRENTO