When Written on Skin had its premiere at the 2012 Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, conducted by George Benjamin himself, it received a standing ovation. The opera's arrival at Covent Garden in 2013 was eagerly anticipated, and provided audiences with the opportunity to experience the work of two of Britain's greatest living artists. Benjamin previously collaborated with playwright Martin Crimp on Into the Little Hill, a magical retelling of the Pied Piper fairytale, and for this new work they joined forces with acclaimed stage director Katie Mitchell. For all three, the production marked their main-stage debut at the Royal Opera House. The tale, inspired by a medieval legend, tells of an ill-fated troubadour, drawn into a liaison with an innocent maiden. But they are observed by the jealous eye of her protector, who wreaks a shocking revenge on the young couple. Written on Skin draws on a 12th-century Occitan legend about the troubadour Guillaume de Cabestanh.

故事发生于19世纪的巴黎。城中名妓薇奥莱塔因为喜爱茶花而被称为“茶花女”。薇奥莱塔受到青年阿尔弗莱德真挚情意的感动，与他坠入爱河，毅然离开纸醉金迷的巴黎社交圈。不料这段爱情却受到了阿尔弗莱德父亲的阻拦。在他父亲的哀求下，薇奥莱塔为了爱人的前途和家族的声誉无奈选择了放弃，回到巴黎重操旧业。而不知实情的阿尔弗莱德无法理解她的举动，于是，当众羞辱了她……

在芭蕾历史上，柴可夫斯基的《天鹅湖》是最经典的作品之一。一天夜晚，齐格弗里德王子遇见了一群天鹅，其中一只变成美丽的姑娘奥杰塔，原来她被恶魔罗斯巴特施了咒语，只有真爱的誓言方可打破魔咒。后来，罗斯巴特让女儿奥吉莉亚伪装成奥杰塔，欺骗齐格弗里德违背了自己的誓言。但无论付出怎样的代价，他都决心要拯救奥杰塔。利亚姆·斯卡利特让这群天鹅穿上了Tutu裙而非舞团原版的长裙，继舞剧《弗兰肯斯坦》之后他与设计师约翰·麦克法兰再次联手打造了一个辉煌的舞台。同时，英国皇家芭蕾舞团排出了超豪华阵容，首席舞者玛丽亚娜拉‧努涅兹同时饰演纯洁的奥杰塔和魅惑的奥吉莉亚，瓦季姆·蒙塔吉诺夫扮演齐格弗里德王子，配角也由三位首席舞者亚历山大·坎贝尔、高田茜、弗兰切斯卡·海沃德和两位首席角色演员饰演。