The Countess of Charny; or, The Execution of King Louis XVI

In the tumultuous days of 1791, as the newly elected Legislative Assembly threatens to reshape France, a personal drama unfolds behind the grand political stage. The Countess of Charny, a favored lady of the queen, navigates a world of aristocratic intrigue while her husband’s fortunes wane and the king himself is held captive in the Tuileries. Amidst the roar of revolution, her own ambitions and a forbidden love connect the fate of her family to the destiny of a nation.

The story is driven by the sharp contrast between Billet, a rugged peasant hero of the Bastille, and the aristocratic circles that plot against him, with the Countess’s son, Sebastian Emile Gilbert, caught in the middle. As secret alliances shift and loyalties are tested, the Countess must juggle her desire for revenge, the protection of her lineage, and the looming question of whether love can survive the revolutionary tide. Listeners will be immersed in vivid scenes of courtroom drama, whispered conspiracies, and the looming specter of the king’s trial.