Powder Her Face

Penned by composer Thomas Ades, this contemporary opera is based on the life of the Duchess of Argyll (played by Mary Plazas), who's fallen on hard times in old age. A notoriously oversexed money-grubber in her younger days, the down-and-out duchess faces eviction from the hotel she calls home. Heather Buck, Daniel Norman and Graeme Broadbent also star in this uninhibited production, with Ades conducting the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.

Directed by Margaret Williams, Powder Her Face leans on a strong ensemble — Mary Plazas, Heather Buck, Daniel Norman (Tenor) — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1999.