Adriana Lecouvreur(1902) is Francesco Cilea's acknowledged masterpiece, with an established place in the repertory.

The historical Adrienne Lecouvreur was a celebrated actress at the Comédie Française, whose early death in 1730 was mourned in verse by Voltaire. The libretto of the opera is based on a French play about her life. The action takes place in Paris in the year of her death. Both the play and the opera take liberties with historical events, but the three larger-than-life protagonists - Adriana, Maurizio, and the Princesse de Bouillon - are retained and their love triangle is at the heart of the story.

Cilea's opera received its world premiere in Milan in 1902 with Enrico Caruso as Maurizio and Angelina Pandolfini in the title role. In our own day Adrianas have included Joan Sutherland and Mirella Freni - along with Nelly Miricioiu who has sung the role at La Scala and the Bolshoi, as well as in Amsterdam and Rome. Chelsea Opera Group is delighted to welcome her back for this performance of a delicate late flower of romantic Italian opera.