Known for her iconic fashion, extravagant spending and unfortunate fate at the guillotine during the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette’s pivotal role in a different revolution, that of opera, is rarely discussed. She was, however, a central figure in the innovation of opera in the late 18th century, away from the rigid French baroque tradition towards opera as we understand it today.

Part opera, part play, Antonia uncovers the lesser-known events of Marie Antoinette’s life (some comical, some scandalous, and some heartbreaking), exploring them through an original script and the music of the composers in her world - Gluck, Piccinni, Sacchini, Dussek, and Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Olivia Doutney as Marie Antoinette addresses the audience directly "in a performance brimming with heart and humour" (Cathryn Bell for Substack), with Petra Hajduchová at the harpsichord weaving in and out of character as the composers.

The duo create a salon-style atmosphere, as though the audience has dropped into the royal living room. This is Marie Antoinette as you’ve never seen or heard her before!