It was librettist Philip Hensher who brought a notorious scandal to the attention of composer Thomas Adès. 

Powder Her Face is based on a sex scandal that caused the Duchess of Argyll, a notorious libertine salon figure, to fall into disgrace with British high society in 1963. She was called the 'Dirty Duchess'. In the opera, the somewhat tragic character Duchess Margaret Campbell looks back on her more than turbulent life. British composer Thomas Adès was 23 when he composed this masterpiece. Adès wrote a mischievous score that playfully responds to the popular culture of cabaret, musical and tango while paying homage to Berg and Stravinsky. His music is akin to Britten, Weill and Berg.