Vautrin: A Drama in Five Acts

Set in early 1816, just after the Bourbon restoration, this five‑act drama opens in the opulent salon of the Duc de Montsorel. A grieving duchess, long‑shackled by the loss of her son, declares a sudden, astonishing hope that someone has been found alive, stirring both relief and dread in her confidante, Mademoiselle de Vaudrey. Their whispered exchange hints at secrets buried beneath years of mourning and the looming influence of a restless Parisian elite.

Enter Vautrin, a charismatic yet enigmatic figure whose presence promises to upend the fragile balance of power among aristocrats, philosophers, and the police. Balzac’s sharp dialogue exposes the tensions between personal ambition and the authoritarian grip of a government still finding its footing. Listeners are drawn into a world where loyalty is questioned, love is weaponized, and every conversation could spark a dangerous revelation.