This is the first-ever recording of the work, written in 1820. It was very popular in Europe at the time.

It was the first time Meyerbeer had tackled an historical subject. The Guardian’s Andrew Clements (September 5th 2003 page 22) hits the nail on the head when he writes: “....though one suspects the story of Margherita, widow of Henry VI, and her struggle ‘in the Scottish countryside’ to overcome the forces of the Duke of Gloucester plotting against her, wouldn’t stand up to much scholarly scrutiny.”