The opera that defied the Ancien Régime
Adriana Lecouvreur arrives at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in June 2027 with a production that goes beyond romantic melodrama. This verismo opera by Francesco Cilea (1902) tells the story of Adriana, an actress in 18th-century France whose profession—socially despised—puts her at odds with the Princess of Bouillon, a representative of an aristocracy clinging to its privileges. The stage becomes the only space where Adriana can invert hierarchies, publicly humiliating the nobility with verses about adultery. Her rebellion, however, comes at a cost: the princess takes revenge with a bouquet of poisoned violets, a symbol of the artist’s fragility in the face of power.
Stage direction is by Vincent Boussard, known for his work on Giulio Cesare at Les Arts. Boussard preserves the essence of the original libretto, blending 18th-century opulence in set design and costumes with a narrative focused on human conflict.
Performances and tickets
The opera will be performed in five shows during June 2027. Tickets, from €10, are available on the Palau de les Arts official website. For more details about the venue, check its profile here.
