The Opera ‘Messalina’ at Bordeaux 1900 - 1901

'The Opera ‘Messalina’ at Bordeaux’ by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec captures a behind-the-scenes moment, likely made at the end of the 19th century. Toulouse-Lautrec, born into aristocracy, had a deep fascination with the performing arts and the lives of those on the margins of society. This painting offers a glimpse into the world of opera, and the artifice behind the spectacle. We see performers in costume, but there’s a sense of them being caught in a moment of transition, as the main character Messalina is standing on the staircase and glancing over her shoulder. This painting exists in a time where gender roles were rigid, and the opera provided a space where those roles could be explored. The opera was based on the life of the Roman empress Messalina, known for her alleged promiscuity. The opera would have been a scandal and a sensation, much like the woman. The artist takes on our fascination and leaves us with a view that captures a moment of transition in the theater and a time of social change.