Powder Her Face is based on the true story of the English Duchess Margaret of Argyll, who in 1963 became the object of a sweeping scandal when private photos of the noblewoman indulging in erotic extramarital excess were leaked to the press.

Thus the stage is set for an exposé into the life of a woman, who would not follow the social standards of her day and culture - and had to suffer the consequences. The chamber opera with score by Thomas Adès and libretto by Philip Hensher portrays the life of the Duchess from her tender youth to her scandalous divorce right up until 1990 when the aging aristocrat looks back at her colourful and highly exposed life.

Powder Her Face is a modern classic. The emblematic Duchess occupies a special place in opera history as a contemporary sister-in-sin to other fallen dramatic heroines such as Violetta in La traviata and Alban Berg’s Lulu.

When Powder Her Face unfolds on the intimate stage of Takkelloftet at the Opera House it will mark the first staging of the opera at the Royal Danish Theatre. The performance is directed by Irish Orpha Phelan, known for critically acclaimed productions of La bohème and Les contes d’Hoffmann at the Malmö Music Theatre. Madeleine Boyd has created the costumes and setdesign.

Powder Her Face is performed in English with Danish supertitles.