La marquise de Brinvilliers is an operatic 'drame lyrique' that was written as a collaborative effort on the part of nine composers.

He engaged Eugène Scribe and Castil-Blaze to produce a libretto and, with no time to spare, divided the work of composition among nine composers: Daniel Auber, Désiré-Alexandre Batton, Henri Montan Berton, Giuseppe Marco Maria Felice Blangini, François-Adrien Boieldieu, Michele Carafa, Luigi Cherubini, Ferdinand Hérold, and Ferdinando Paer.

[1] A review in the Courrier de l'Europe noted the inclusion of a gigue by Gossec, a composer of an older generation who died in 1829.

[1][5] Before the end of 1831, F. Marcucci composed a "Fantasy for harp on the prettiest motifs from la Marquise de Brinvilliers".

The action of the opera is based loosely on the story of Marie-Madeleine-Marguerite d'Aubray, Marquise de Brinvilliers, an historical figure of the seventeenth century whose trial for murder initiated the Affair of the Poisons, which saw a number of French aristocrats accused of murder and witchcraft.

Before the action of the opera begins, Hortense De Montmélian and Arthur Saint-Brice, both without fortunes, love one another, but the Marquise has contrived to separate them and make each believe the other has cut off contact.

As guests arrive for the wedding of Vernillac and Hortense, he rejoices while the future bride expresses her dismay and discusses with her friend Madelon how Arthur's silence has hurt her.

The Marquise meets privately with her retainer Galifard and learns he knows more than she imagined of her passion for Arthur and her manipulation of the young lovers.

As he rushes to stop the wedding, the married couple returns and, amid general rejoicing, Hortense and Arthur recognize one another.

The Marquise interrupts them and, hiding her love for Arthur and her hatred of her rival, persuades them to separate lest Vernillac become even more suspicious than he already is.

A lengthy review in the Courrier d'Europe called it "the most interesting work the Ventadour has offered in a long time.

"[7] The Revue des deux mondes thought the music was "diffuse and without unity" but noted that "a duet by Auber in the third act received much applause.

"[9] Frédéric Chopin, on the other hand, wrote that it would have been difficult to assemble a better group for such a joint effort: "I confess I was not bored and that it was not a work to mock.

"[10] According to a later assessment of the Paris musical scene at the time of the opera's premiere, Cherubini was the old master of the group, "the Nestor of composers."