HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Thaïs'' () is an
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...
, a ''comédie lyrique'' in three acts and seven tableaux, by Jules Massenet to a French
libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...
by
Louis Gallet Louis Gallet (14 February 1835 in Valence, Drôme Valence (, ; oc, Valença ) is a commune in southeastern France, the prefecture of the Drôme department and within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is situated on the left bank of the ...
, based on the novel ''
Thaïs Thaïs or Thais ( el, Θαΐς; flourished 4th century BC) was a famous Greek ''hetaira'' who accompanied Alexander the Great on his campaigns. Likely from Athens, she is most famous for instigating the burning of Persepolis. At the time, Thaï ...
'' by
Anatole France (; born , ; 16 April 1844 – 12 October 1924) was a French poet, journalist, and novelist with several best-sellers. Ironic and skeptical, he was considered in his day the ideal French man of letters. He was a member of the Académie França ...
. It was first performed at the
Opéra Garnier The Palais Garnier (, Garnier Palace), also known as Opéra Garnier (, Garnier Opera), is a 1,979-seatBeauvert 1996, p. 102. opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built for the Paris Opera from ...
in Paris on 16 March 1894, starring the American soprano
Sibyl Sanderson Sibyl Sanderson (December 7, 1864May 16, 1903) was a famous American operatic dramatic coloratura soprano during the Parisian Belle Époque. Biography She was born in Sacramento, California, in the United States. Sibyl's father Silas Sanders ...
, for whom Massenet had written the title role. The original production was directed by
Alexandre Lapissida Alexandre Lapissida (9 March 1839, Volkrange - 16 February 1907, Paris) was a French operatic tenor, producer, director and theatre manager. Life First singing at Strasbourg, he was taken on by Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels in 1868, whe ...
, with costumes designed by Charles Bianchini and sets by Marcel Jambon (act 1, scene 1; act 3) and
Eugène Carpezat Eugène Louis Carpezat (Paris, 4 November 1833 – Paris, 26 February 1912) was an acclaimed French scenographer in the Belle Époque. Career Carpezat was the son of lemonade makers Claude François Carpezat and Jacqueline Caniou. After conside ...
(act 1, scene 2; act 2). The opera was later revised by the composer and was premiered at the same opera house on 13 April 1898. The work was first performed in Italy at the Teatro Lirico Internazionale in Milan on 17 October 1903 with
Lina Cavalieri Natalina "Lina" Cavalieri (25 December 1874 – 7 February 1944) was an Italian operatic dramatic soprano, actress, and monologist. Biography Lina Cavalieri was born on Christmas Day at Viterbo, some north of Rome. She lost her parents at the ...
in the title role and Francesco Maria Bonini as Athanaël. In 1907, the role served as
Mary Garden A Mary garden is a small sacred garden enclosing a statue or shrine of the Virgin Mary, who is known to many Christians as the Blessed Virgin, Our Lady, or the Mother of God. In the New Testament, Mary is the mother of Jesus of Nazareth. Mary ...
's American debut in New York in the U.S. premiere performance. ''Thaïs'' takes place in
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
under the rule of the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
, where a
Cenobite Cenobitic (or coenobitic) monasticism is a monastic tradition that stresses community life. Often in the West the community belongs to a religious order, and the life of the cenobitic monk is regulated by a religious rule, a collection of prec ...
monk, Athanaël, attempts to convert
Thaïs Thaïs or Thais ( el, Θαΐς; flourished 4th century BC) was a famous Greek ''hetaira'' who accompanied Alexander the Great on his campaigns. Likely from Athens, she is most famous for instigating the burning of Persepolis. At the time, Thaï ...
, an Alexandrian
courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other ...
and devotee of
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...
, to Christianity, but discovers too late that his obsession with her is rooted in
lust Lust is a psychological force producing intense desire for something, or circumstance while already having a significant amount of the desired object. Lust can take any form such as the lust for sexuality (see libido), money, or power. It c ...
; while the courtesan's true purity of heart is revealed, so is the religious man's baser nature. The work is often described as bearing a sort of religious eroticism, and has had many controversial productions. Its famous Méditation, the ''
entr'acte (or ', ;Since 1932–35 the French Academy recommends this spelling, with no apostrophe, so historical, ceremonial and traditional uses (such as the 1924 René Clair film title) are still spelled ''Entr'acte''. German: ' and ', Italian: ''inte ...
'' for violin and orchestra played between the scenes of act 2, is an oft-performed concert music piece; it has been arranged for many different instruments. The role of Thaïs, similar to another Massenet heroine also written for
Sibyl Sanderson Sibyl Sanderson (December 7, 1864May 16, 1903) was a famous American operatic dramatic coloratura soprano during the Parisian Belle Époque. Biography She was born in Sacramento, California, in the United States. Sibyl's father Silas Sanders ...
, ''
Esclarmonde ''Esclarmonde'' () is an opéra (french: opéra romanesque) in four acts and eight tableaux, with prologue and epilogue, by Jules Massenet, to a French libretto by Alfred Blau and Louis Ferdinand de Gramont. It was first performed at the Ex ...
'', is notoriously difficult to sing and is reserved for only the most gifted of performers. Modern interpreters have included
Carol Neblett Carol Lee Neblett (February 1, 1946 – November 23, 2017) was an American operatic soprano. Life and career Neblett was born in Modesto, California and raised in Redondo Beach. She studied at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1969 ...
, Anna Moffo,
Beverly Sills Beverly Sills (May 25, 1929July 2, 2007) was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. Although she sang a repertoire from Handel and Mozart to Puccini, Massenet and Verdi, she was especially renowned f ...
,
Leontyne Price Mary Violet Leontyne Price (born February 10, 1927) is an American soprano who was the first African American soprano to receive international acclaim. From 1961 she began a long association with the Metropolitan Opera, where she was the first Af ...
,
Renée Fleming Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is an American soprano, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nominated for ...
, and
Elizabeth Futral Susan Elizabeth Futral (born September 27, 1963 in Johnston County, North Carolina) is an American coloratura soprano who has won acclaim (as both singer and actress) throughout the United States as well as in Europe, South America, and Japan. E ...
. Géori Boué was the first to record the opera, in 1952.


Differences between two versions

In the 1894 version the end of act 1, the supposed striptease of Thaïs (which caused a great scandal on the first night due to a mishap with Sibyl Sanderson's costume) is a long symphonic interlude "L'amours d'Aphrodite" that leads without a break into act 2 and the scene with the mirror aria "Dis-moi que je suis belle". In the first edition vocal score, this is 18 pages – 196 bars – almost a fifth of the entire first act. There is a strangely experimental middle section, that is in an amorphous 5/4 time signature (unusual for Massenet) with a sultry whole-tone feel. In 1898 this was cut, though the climax is retained in part as the peroration for act 1 – a mere 17 bars. In Thaïs's famous Mirror Aria at the opening of act 2 there are some text changes, though this does not affect the music. In the 1898 revision, there is an extended ballet sequence in act 2 for Nicias' followers, including the little vocal intermezzo for La charmeuse. This replaced the 1894 ballet in the last act. The 1898 ballet is entirely new music. The most comprehensive revisions concern the final act, act 3. In 1894, there is no scene at the Oasis, the act opens with the monks in the Thébaïde. When Athanaël falls asleep there is an extended ballet sequence "Les Sept esprits de la Tentation" – which is modeled on
Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , , ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. Highly influential, he has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flauber ...
's epic poem '' La tentation de Saint Antoine''. In it Athanaël is tormented by spirit voices, La perdition, L'étoile de la rédemption (star of redemption), Les sphinges (Sphinxes), Âmes perdues (lost souls) and Esprits de L'abîme (spirits of the abyss) culminating in an orgiastic black sabbath. This was cut. The first scene becomes scene 2. The new scene 1 (the Oasis scene) shows Athanaël delivering Thaïs to Mère Albine and ''les filles blanches'', and leaving her. 1894: In the final scene, after the famous final duet "Te souvient-il du lumineux voyage" there is extra music and text. Voices from heaven curse Athanaël, Mère Albine and the nuns cry out ''Un vampire'' and run away (as in the final chapter of the Anatole France novel) and the opera concludes with voices of angels calling ''Pitié'' and a soft reminiscence of the famous Méditation. In 1898, this is all cut and reduced to Athanaël's single cry of ''Pitié'' and a brief three bar coda.


Roles


Synopsis


Act 1

Scene 1 A group of Cenobite monks go about their daily business. Athanaël, the most rigorous ascetic of them all, enters and confesses to the senior monk, Palémon, that he has lately been disturbed by visions of a
courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other ...
and priestess of Venus named Thaïs, whom he had seen many years ago in his native city of
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
. Believing these visions to be a sign from God, he resolves, against Palémon's advice, to return to Alexandria, convert Thaïs to Christianity, and persuade her to enter a convent. Scene 2 Athanaël arrives in Alexandria and visits his old friend Nicias, a wealthy voluptuary. Nicias welcomes him with open arms and reveals himself to be Thaïs's current lover. Upon hearing Athanaël's plan, he laughs and warns him that the revenge of Venus can be terrible. Nevertheless, he procures clothing for his friend in preparation for a feast that evening at which Thaïs will appear. His slaves, Crobyle and Myrtale, dress Athanaël and mock his prudery. The feast begins. Thaïs arrives and sings a bittersweet love duet with Nicias: this is their last night together. She then asks him about Athanaël, who overhears her and tells her that he has come to teach her "contempt for the flesh and love of pain." Not tempted by this proposition, she offends his sense of propriety with a seductive song. He leaves, angrily promising to come back later, while she taunts him with a parting shot: "Dare to come, you who defy Venus!" and begins to disrobe as the curtain falls.


Act 2

Scene 1 Exhausted after the feast, Thaïs expresses dissatisfaction with her empty life and muses on the fact that one day, old age will destroy her beauty. Athanaël enters at this vulnerable moment, praying to God to conceal her beauty from him. He tells her that he loves her according to the spirit rather than the flesh, and that his love will last forever instead of a single night. Intrigued, she asks him to teach her the ways of this love. He nearly succumbs to her physical charm, but succeeds in explaining to her that if she converts, she will gain eternal life. She nearly succumbs to his eloquence, but then reasserts her nihilistic worldview and drives him away. However, after a long
meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally cal ...
she changes her mind. Scene 2 Thaïs has joined Athanaël and resolved to follow him into the desert. He orders her to burn down her house and possessions in order to destroy all traces of her wicked past. She agrees, but asks if she can keep a statuette of Eros, the god of love, explaining to Athanaël that she sinned against love rather than through it. When he hears that Nicias gave it to her, however, Athanaël demands that she destroy it. Nicias appears with a group of revelers, who see Athanaël taking Thaïs away. Furious, they begin to stone him. Although Nicias is astonished at Thaïs' decision to leave, he respects it and throws handfuls of money to distract the crowd. Thaïs and Athanaël escape.


Act 3

Scene 1 Thaïs and Athanaël travel on foot through the desert. Thaïs is exhausted, but Athanaël forces her to keep going and thus do penance for her sins. They reach a spring, where Athanaël begins to feel pity rather than disgust for her, and they share a few moments of idyllic, platonic companionship as they rest. Shortly afterwards, they reach the convent where Thaïs is to stay. Placing her in the care of Mother Superior Albine, Athanaël realizes that he has accomplished his mission — and that he will never see her again. Scene 2 The Cenobite monks express anxiety over Athanaël's asocial and morose behavior since his return from Alexandria. Athanaël enters and confesses to Palémon that he has begun to experience sexual longing for Thaïs. Palémon castigates him for having attempted to convert her in the first place. Athanaël falls into a depressed sleep and has an erotic vision of Thaïs. He tries to seize her, but she laughingly evades him. Then, a second vision tells him that Thaïs is dying. Scene 3 Feeling that existence is worth nothing without her, he repudiates all his vows and rushes off to find her. He reaches the convent and finds her on her deathbed. He tells her that all he taught her was a lie, that "nothing is true but life and the love of human beings", and that he loves her. Blissfully unaware, she describes the heavens opening and the angels welcoming her into their midst. She dies, and Athanaël collapses in despair.


Noted arias

* "Voilà donc la terrible cité" (Athanaël) – Act I * "Dis-moi que je suis belle" (Thaïs) – Act II * "C'est toi, mon père" (Thaïs, Athanaël) – Act III


Recordings

* 1952 – Géori Boué,
Roger Bourdin Roger Bourdin (14 June 1900 in Paris – 14 September 1973 in Paris) was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory. His career was largely based in France. His daughter is Françoise Bourdin. Life and career Born in t ...
,
Jean Giraudeau Jean Giraudeau (1 July 1916, in Toulon – 7 February 1995), was an artist and French tenor,Obituary: Jean Giraudeau. ''Opera (British magazine), Opera'', June 1995, Vol.46, No.6, p671. and later theatre director, particularly associated with th ...
– Choeurs et Orchestre de l'Opéra de Paris, Georges Sébastian * 1959 –
Andrée Esposito Andrée Esposito (born 7 February 1934) is a French opera singer, a lyric soprano particularly associated with the French repertory and contemporary works. Biography Andrée Esposito was born in Algiers, Algeria, into a family of French-Ital ...
, Robert Massard, Jean Mollien – French National Radio Orchestra and Chorus, Albert Wolff (Chant du Monde) * 1961 –
Renée Doria Renée Doria (13 February 1921 – 6 March 2021) was a French opera singer, one of the leading lyric coloratura sopranos of her era in France. Biography Born Renée Dumazert in Perpignan, France, after a thorough musical training (piano, solfeg ...
, Robert Massard, Michel Sénéchal – Choeurs et Orchestre de Radio France, Jésus Etcheverry * 1966 – Ariel Daunizeau, Jacques Mars – Choeurs et Orchestre de Radio France,
Pierre Dervaux Pierre Dervaux (born 3 January 1917 in Juvisy-sur-Orge, France; died 20 February 1992 in Marseilles, France) was a French operatic conductor, composer, and pedagogue. At the Conservatoire de Paris, he studied counterpoint and harmony with Marcel ...
* 1974 – Anna Moffo,
Gabriel Bacquier Gabriel Bacquier (; 17 May 1924 – 13 May 2020) was a French operatic baritone. One of the leading baritones of the 20th century and particularly associated with the French and Italian repertoires, he was considered a fine singing actor equ ...
, José Carreras – Ambrosian Opera Chorus, New Philharmonia Orchestra,
Julius Rudel Julius Rudel (6 March 1921 – 26 June 2014) was an Austrian-born American opera and orchestra conductor. He was born in Vienna and was a student at the city's Academy of Music. He emigrated to the United States at the age of 17 in 1938 after ...
(RCA Red Seal) * 1976 –
Beverly Sills Beverly Sills (May 25, 1929July 2, 2007) was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. Although she sang a repertoire from Handel and Mozart to Puccini, Massenet and Verdi, she was especially renowned f ...
,
Sherrill Milnes Sherrill Milnes (born January 10, 1935) is an American dramatic baritone most famous for his Verdi roles. From 1965 until 1997 he was associated with the Metropolitan Opera. His voice is a high dramatic baritone, combining good legato with an in ...
,
Nicolai Gedda Harry Gustaf Nikolai Gädda, known professionally as Nicolai Gedda (11 July 1925 – 8 January 2017), was a Swedish operatic tenor. Debuting in 1951, Gedda had a long and successful career in opera until the age of 77 in June 2003, when he made h ...
– John Alldis Choir, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Lorin Maazel (EMI) * 1997 –
Renée Fleming Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is an American soprano, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nominated for ...
,
Thomas Hampson Thomas Walter Hampson (born June 28, 1955) is an American lyric baritone, a classical singer who has appeared world-wide in major opera houses and concert halls and made over 170 musical recordings. Hampson's operatic repertoire spans a range ...
, Giuseppe Sabbatini – Choeur et orchestre national Bordeaux Aquitaine,
Yves Abel Yves Abel (born 1963) is a Canadian conductor. Career Abel was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of French parents. He made his professional debut as a boy, singing solo in Mozart's ''The Magic Flute'' at the Canadian Opera Company. He studie ...
(Decca) * 2004 –
Eva Mei Eva Mei (born 1967) is an Italian coloratura soprano. Mei was born in Fabriano. She graduated from the Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini in Florence. In 1990, at the Mozart Competition in Vienna, she won the Catarina Cavalieri Prize for her interp ...
, Michele Pertusi, William Joyner – Orchestra e Coro del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia (Dynamic Srl Italy, 2004) * 2009 –
Barbara Frittoli Barbara Frittoli (born 19 April 1967) is an Italian operatic soprano, specializing in operas by Verdi and Mozart. She has sung leading roles in opera houses throughout Europe and in the United States, such as La Scala in Milan and the Metropolitan ...
, Lado Ataneli, Stefano Poda (stage director), Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Regio Torino (ArtHaus), Gianandrea Noseda – DVD * 2010 –
Renée Fleming Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is an American soprano, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nominated for ...
,
Thomas Hampson Thomas Walter Hampson (born June 28, 1955) is an American lyric baritone, a classical singer who has appeared world-wide in major opera houses and concert halls and made over 170 musical recordings. Hampson's operatic repertoire spans a range ...
, John Cox (director),
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is oper ...
Orchestra, Chorus, and Ballet, Jesus Lopez-Cobos – DVD * 2020 –
Erin Wall Erin Wall (4 November 1975 – 8 October 2020) was a Canadian-American operatic soprano who had an active international career from 2001 until her death of breast cancer in 2020. Chiefly associated with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Vancouver ba ...
, Joshua Hopkins,
Andrew Staples Andrew Staples (born 19 August 1979) is an English operatic tenor. Education and training Staples started as a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral and was accepted at Eton College under a musical scholarship. Career With The Royal Opera, Staples ...
,
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir is a Canadian large vocal ensemble based in Toronto, Ontario. It was co-founded in 1894 by Augustus S. Vogt and W. H. Hewlett to celebrate the opening of the Massey Hall. The ensemble was originally an extension of ...
,
Toronto Symphony Orchestra The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toronto ...
Andrew Davis – 2 CD's Chandos Records Cat:CHSA5258(2) These are all of the revised, definitive 1898 version. There are no recordings of the original 1894 version. However there are two recordings of the Thaïs ballet music which are of the original ballet music 'La tentation', though the recordings, confusingly, do not specify this. * 1997 –
Academy of St Martin in the Fields The Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) is an English chamber orchestra, based in London. John Churchill, then Master of Music at the London church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, and Neville Marriner founded the orchestra as "The Academy o ...
, Sir Neville Marriner (Capriccio) * 2013 – Barcelona Symphony Orchestra,
Patrick Gallois Patrick Gallois (born 1956) is a French flutist and conductor. Gallois was born in Linselles near the town of Lille in the north of France. At the age of 17 he began studies at the Conservatoire de Paris with the celebrated flutist Jean-Pierre Ra ...
(Naxos)


References

Notes Sources *


Further reading

* * * *


External links

* *Visual documentation of the premiere o
Gallica
*
Synopsis of ''Thaïs''
(
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is oper ...
)
MetOpera archives: ''Thaïs'' production 1939 with Review
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thais Operas by Jules Massenet French-language operas 1894 operas Operas Opera world premieres at the Paris Opera Operas based on novels Operas based on real people Operas set in ancient Egypt Cultural depictions of Thaïs (saint)