New Television Series Explores the Life of the Marchioness of Alorna
Starring Sara Matos, the historical drama follows the intellectual and romantic journey of Leonor de Almeida Portugal.
A new television series titled "Leonor, Marquesa de Alorna" is set to premiere on November 9 at 10 p.m. on RTP1 and RTP Play. The six-episode production, inspired by the novel by Maria João Lopo de Carvalho, is produced by Ukbar Filmes and directed by Tiago Alvarez Marques.
The drama stars Sara Matos as Leonor de Almeida Portugal, a historical figure born in Lisbon in 1750. The narrative draws visual and thematic comparisons to Sofia Coppola's 2006 film "Marie Antoinette," exploring aristocratic excess, masking balls, and the personal constraints faced by women within the elite.
The story begins in 1776, depicting Leonor at age 26. Since the age of eight, she had been enclosed in the Convent of São Félix alongside her mother and sister following the Távora family fallout and the 1758 assassination attempt against King Joseph I. Her maternal grandparents were condemned and her father imprisoned, leaving Leonor and her family in confinement until their release in 1777.
During her years in the convent, Leonor relied on reading and curiosity to survive, despite the efforts of the Mother Prioress to control her access to knowledge. Through the convent bars, she encounters and falls in love with an Austrian count named Carlos Augusto, portrayed by Cristóvão Campos.
Following her release and a shift in the Portuguese throne, Queen Mary I grants Leonor permission to marry and travel. The sovereign tasks her with a diplomatic mission to bridge the Portuguese and Austrian royal houses. In Vienna, Leonor navigates a society defined by pleasure and political maneuvering, later traveling through France before returning to Portugal.
The series highlights Leonor's literary development as a poet and translator who wrote under the pen name Alcipe. The narrative also touches on her defense of education for young girls, opposition to book destruction, and her involvement in the rumored creation of a secret society known as the Rose Society.
Alongside Sara Matos and Cristóvão Campos, the cast features Albano Jerónimo, Miguel Borges, Cristóvão Campos, Paula Lobo Antunes, Soraia Chaves, Rita Rocha Silva, Joana Solnado, Sandra Faleiro, and Cucha Carvalheiro. Sandra Faleiro portrays Queen Mary I, while Soraia Chaves plays Leonor's mother. The screenplay was written by Pandora da Cunha Telles, Mário Cunha, Cláudia Clemente, and Rafael do Carmo Afonso.