The play made its world premiere at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London, on 11 February 2015, running until 7 March.
[6] King Philip V of Spain suffers from mental troubles which have made his counsellors deem him unfit to rule.
Isabella travels to London, where she hears the famous castrato Farinelli sing and gets the idea that the inspiring and soothing power of his music could help her husband emerge from depression.
Farinelli reveals that it was his brother Riccardo who castrated him when he was ten to preserve his wonderful soprano voice, and answers yes to Philip's blunt query as to whether he can have sex with a woman.
Philip pages hastily through the budget report and suddenly makes incisive and brilliant comments on its omissions and mistakes.
He continues to be able to rule, and is last seen dressing in ceremonial armour and mounting an effigy of a horse to pose for an official portrait.
His friend and tailor begs him to sing his greatest aria, Handel's "Lascia ch'io pianga" (“Let me weep”), which is even more sincerely emotional than his outpouring to Isabella.