Marietta Piccolomini inexperience, critics praised her dramatic ability. Following her season in England, Picolomini sang in Dublin with great success. Piccolomini's appearance in Paris in "Traviata" on December 6, 1856, was the first time the opera had been heard in France. Verdi tried to stop the opera from being performed at Théâtre des Italiens owing to lack of copyright for his operas in France at the time, also supporting the claims of the French holder of the rights on Alexandre Dumas's "La Dame aux camélias" (whence the opera is drawn), but without success. Again, while critics remarked on the limitations of her
The Ruling Class (play) asylum so soon as he has married and begotten a sane heir to succeed him. However, Jack states he is already married, to La Dame aux Camelias, who he insists is a real person not a fictional character. Charles has his long-time mistress Grace Shelly arrive in disguise as 'La Dame' and Jack agrees to her request for a 'second' wedding. This goes ahead, but Grace falls in love with Jack and becomes his ally. She also conceives a child by him, despite him spending their wedding night on a unicycle. Lady Claire also proves obstructive and begins an affair