It was given in London in November 2013, along with Debussy's L'enfant prodigue as a double bill, at the Guildhall School of Music staged by the Australian opera director Stephen Barlow.

[2] The Count is determined to keep his beautiful wife Francesca well away from the temptations of the French court.

Knowing the amorous ways of the nobility he tells them that she is unwilling to appear in public because she is extremely ugly.

Unfortunately this raises the interest of the King who despatches one of his gentlemen (the Duke) to investigate, and if he finds that the Countess is beautiful he must lure her back incognito to court.

The Count can no longer keep up his subterfuge and admits that, driven by jealousy, he lied to the King and his courtiers.