Based on a play written for the legendary Sarah Bernhardt, this tragic tale of sexual jealousy and hot-blooded revenge received mixed press reviews when it premiered in 1900 because of its risqué and violent subject matter. Audiences, however, adored it and its cast of spies, secret police, political dissidents, and artists. Rapidly introduced to the repertory of all the major opera houses, it remains today among the undisputed top ten favorites.