The Affair of the Poisons

At Place de Grève, a nobleman gives a speech on the virtues of Louis XIV. La Voisin, the infamous poisoner, is led to the stake, she bemoans the limited options women had in French society and recalls the events that led her to here [L'Ancien Regime].

Several years earlier, Marie-Madeleine is discovered arguing with her father, who threatens her with life in a convent if she does not marry the Count to whom he has promised her [Recitative]. Later, she meets with her true love, the Chevalier St. Croix, who counsels her [Think Happily].

At Versailles, Athénaïs de Montespan has arrived to court, invited by her friend Louise, the king's mistress. Louise reveals she is pregnant and asks Athénaïs to help deflect the women the courtiers will parade in front of Louis to curry favor to make him loose interest in her during her confinement. Athénaïs agrees to help, but has plans of her own [A Woman Might Do Well Here].

The morning ceremony, or Grand Levée, at Versailles was a time for courtiers to beg favors from the king [Your Most Christian Majesty, Part 1]. 

We learn that after Marie-Madeleine was married off to the Count, he absconded with her dowry and left her destitute, forced to fend off his creditors. She has returned to Paris to beg her father for help, who refuses and, as she is now financially unable to care for her infant son, takes custody of him. He also prevents her from taking up again with her beloved Chevalier [Your Most Christian Majesty, Part 2].

Marie-Madeleine, alone and bereft [Lament], is approached by La Voisin with a solution to her problems [Inheritance Powders].

Meanwhile at Versailles, Athénaïs has replaced Louise at mistress [Always Athénaïs; When Forever Ends and Trio]. Louis engages the Widow Scarron to discuss the raising of his bastard, but is interrupted with news from Paris: Marie-Madeleine has been arrested for poisoning her father and two brothers. Louis charges his lieutenant Louvois with uncovering the source of the poison.

Louise gives birth, and when the bastard is spirited away to be raised in secret, Scarron counsels Louise that she must enter a convent [His Sacred Person].

La Voisin visits Marie-Madeleine the night before she is to be executed to give her a ribbon to wear around her neck (concealing a pouch of gunpowder) and a potion to dull the pain [Die a Little Better]. At dawn, Marie-Madeleine is executed [Act I Finale].

Several years have passed. The Widow Scarron is now raising three bastards. Louis visits her to discuss his plans to legitimize them and to bring her to Versailles. 

Meanwhile, Athénaïs has acquired considerable power at court, and begins to chafe against Louvois. After a stunning young woman, La Fontanges, arrives at court, and Louis shows interest in her, Athénaïs asks one of the ladies-in-waiting to introduce her to the fortune teller she's been raving about.

Athénaïs meets La Voisin. She takes a proffered love potion, but decides against using it, even as Louis' affair with La Fontanges keeps pushing Athénaïs further and further away. 

At a picnic, La Fontanges drinks a glass of milk and collapses, poisoned. Athénaïs is the prime suspect, and Louis is furious that poison has reached his Court.

Louvois' investigation finally leads to La Voisin [The One You Want Is La Voisin]. He reveals Athénaïs' visit to Louis, who confronts her with the evidence, including the love potion found in her chamber. She hotly denies it all, and the two bitterly end their affair. Afterwards, the Widow Scarron derides Athénaïs – all that scheming to get Louis, but never thinking about how to keep him once she'd got him. She also reveals a secret.

The night before her execution, La Voisin receives a visitor [I Will Not Bow; Finale Ultimo].