Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

since he has the means to provide her with all the luxuries in which she delights. She endeavours,
however, to prevent Des Grieux from being abducted, but fails; and when the young man
disappears, leaving no clue, she is tempted to accept the advances of De Bretigny. With him she
attends many festivals and indulges in extravagant pleasures; but hearing at one of these entertainments
that Des Grieux is about to take the vows of a priest, her smouldering love for him
breaks out afresh, and she hastens at once to the church of St Sulpice, where he has already gained
the reputation of a great preacher. Here she meets with her former lover, and pleads so
passionately with him to renounce his intentions of retiring from the world, and to return to her
loving arms once more, that Des Grieux unresistingly yields to her will; and the pair return
together to their gay friends, and once more indulge in pleasure-seeking. In Act 4 Manon and Des
Grieux are seen in a gambling salon, where the latter is having a fine run of luck, winning a
considerable sum from Guillot, who has again sought out Manon with a view to securing her love.
Manon, however, still rejects his advances; and in revenge the old roué now brings in the police,
and accuses Des Grieux of cheating and criminal gambling, denouncing Manon as his accomplice.
The pair are at once arrested and thrust into prison; but Des Grieux is soon released owing to the
influence of his father, who pays all his debts. Manon, however, having no influence to save her
from her dangerous position, is condemned to transportation. Des Grieux and Lescaut make
desperate efforts to rescue her as she journeys with the other prisoners; and they even succeed in
getting her away from the soldiers. The poor girl, however, has suffered much during her
imprisonment, and is already in a dying condition; and as her sorrowful lover clasps her in his
arms she implores pardon for her past follies and errors, and once more avowing her real love for
him she expires.
98. THAÏS
Opera in Three Acts By Jules Massenet
Libretto By Louis Gallet, Poem, adapted from the Romance of Anatole France
First Produced Paris, 1894
Chief Characters Thaïs, Crobyle, Myrtale, Albine, Athanaël, Nicias, Palemon
THE action takes place in Alexandria, and in the Theban Desert, in Ancient Egypt. The first act
opens on the banks of the Nile, where the huts of the Cenobite monks are seen. A number of the
monks are seated outside at a long table, partaking of their frugal supper and offering prayers for
the safe return of one of their number, Athanaël, who has taken a journey to the neighbouring city,
in the hope of gaining converts to the service of the one true God from amongst the Pagans there.
Presently the wanderer appears, weary and depressed; and as the brethren crowd around, he tells
them sadly that his task has been hopeless, since all the city is given up to sin, and the nobly-born
youths are under the influence of the beautiful actress-courtesan, Thaïs, a priestess of Venus,
whose loveliness and seductive charms none seem able to resist; and day and night alike are spent
in voluptuous pleasures, of which the fair siren is the Queen. Athanaël himself admits that in his
own early youth he nearly crossed the threshold of this lovely temptress, but had found strength to
resist; and Palemon, one of the aged brethren, tells him not to venture again into the evil city for
fear of ruining his peace of mind for ever. But Athanaël longs to rescue the soul of this sinful
woman; and as he lies sleeping that night, he has a vision in which he sees the lovely Thaïs
performing in the theatre before her admirers, posing in light attire, as Aphrodite. He awakens, full