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--- met:thais_dec_20_2008 [2008/12/20 09:13] – created tomgee
+++ met:thais_dec_20_2008 [2008/12/21 12:44] (current) – tomgee
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+===== Massenet Thais, HD Met Performance =====
+My first reaction was wow, what a performance. This was one of the best. The music carried us and the stage presence of both Thomas Hampson and Renee Fleming was an out of body experience. Wow, wow, wow!!!\\
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-Act I  Palémon and his fellow monks await the return of Athanaël, one of their brothers. He
+**Act I**  Palémon and his fellow monks await the return of Athanaël, one of their brothers. He enters
-and tells them how he found the city of Alexandria in a state of sin and under the inluence o
+and tells them how he found the city of Alexandria in a state of sin and under the influence of the
-courtesan haïs, whom he remembers seeing once in his youth before he joined the order. At
+courtesan Thaïs, whom he remembers seeing once in his youth before he joined the order. Athanaël
-believes her behavior is an afront to God. Despite Palémon’s warnings not to interfere with t
+believes her behavior is an affront to God. Despite Palémon’s warnings not to interfere with the
-secular world he is determined to convert her to a Christian life. hat night, Athanaël has a v
+secular world he is determined to convert her to a Christian life. That night, Athanaël has a vision
-of haïs. He prays for strength and, as dawn breaks, says goodbye to his brothers and leaves
+of Thaïs. He prays for strength and, as dawn breaks, says goodbye to his brothers and leaves to walk
 back through the desert to Alexandria.
-Athanaël arrives in the city of his birth, whose luxury and learning he let behind to pursue a
-spiritual life (“Voilà donc la terrible cité”). He comes to the house of the wealthy Nicias, a fri
-his youth, who tells him that haïs is his mistress of the moment. Athanaël replies that he ha
-to convert haïs. Nicias laughs at this, but agrees to introduce Athanaël to her. haïs enters,
-Athanaël confronts her, declaring that he intends to make her give up her sinful life. She dism
-the idea and asks why he denies his true nature and doesn’t give in to love. As she is about to
-of her clothes, Athanaël leaves in horror, telling her he will wait for her at her palace.
-Act II  Alone in her bedroom, haïs suddenly realizes the supericiality of her life and asks
+Athanaël arrives in the city of his birth, whose luxury and learning he let behind to pursue a
-what will happen once her beauty fades (“Dis-moi que je suis belle”). Athanaël enters, and sh
+spiritual life (“Voilà donc la terrible cité”). He comes to the house of the wealthy Nicias, a friend of
-warns him not to fall in love with her. He replies that there is another kind of love that leads
+his youth, who tells him that Thaïs is his mistress of the moment. Athanaël replies that he has come
-eternal life. he voice of Nicias, heard from outside, reminds haïs of her past. Rejecting bot
+to convert Thaïs. Nicias laughs at this, but agrees to introduce Athanaël to her. Thaïs enters, and
+Athanaël confronts her, declaring that he intends to make her give up her sinful life. She dismisses
+the idea and asks why he denies his true nature and doesn’t give in to love. As she is about to take
+off her clothes, Athanaël leaves in horror, telling her he will wait for her at her palace.
+**Act II**  Alone in her bedroom, Thaïs suddenly realizes the superficiality of her life and asks herself
+what will happen once her beauty fades (“Dis-moi que je suis belle”). Athanaël enters, and she
+warns him not to fall in love with her. He replies that there is another kind of love that leads to
+eternal life. The voice of Nicias, heard from outside, reminds Thaïs of her past. Rejecting both her
 life of luxury and God, she collapses in despair.
-Ater a night of soul-searching (Orchestral interlude: “Méditation”), haïs tells Athanaël that
-ready to follow him. He explains that he will take her to a convent, but before they leave she
-burn her palace and all her belongings. She agrees, and Athanaël leads her back into the hou
-Nicias enters with his friends and a group of citizens. When haïs and Athanaël reappear fro
-palace and the monk announces her conversion, the crowd threatens to stone him for taking
-away. Nicias distracts them and Athanaël and häis escape as her palace goes up in lames.
-Act III haïs and Athanaël rest at an oasis. She is exhausted and feels unable to continue, but
+Ater a night of soul-searching (Orchestral interlude: “Méditation”), Thaïs tells Athanaël that she is
+ready to follow him. He explains that he will take her to a convent, but before they leave she must
+burn her palace and all her belongings. She agrees, and Athanaël leads her back into the house.
+Nicias enters with his friends and a group of citizens. When Thaïs and Athanaël reappear from the
+palace and the monk announces her conversion, the crowd threatens to stone him for taking Thaïs
+away. Nicias distracts them and Athanaël and Thäis escape as her palace goes up in flames.
+**Act III** Thaïs and Athanaël rest at an oasis. She is exhausted and feels unable to continue, but
 Athanaël demands that she ignore her physical weakness. Only when he sees that her feet are
-bloody does he feel pity. haïs thanks him for having brought her to salvation (Duet: “Baigne d’eau
+bloody does he feel pity. Thaïs thanks him for having brought her to salvation (Duet: “Baigne d’eau
-mes mains”). At the convent, the nuns welcome haïs. When she says goodbye to Athanaël, he
+mes mains”). At the convent, the nuns welcome Thaïs. When she says goodbye to Athanaël, he
 realizes with horror that he will never see her again.
 Back at the monks’ retreat, Athanaël confesses to Palémon that, in spite of all his fasting and prayer,
-he is still haunted by the image of haïs’s beauty. Palémon repeats his warning not to get involved
+he is still haunted by the image of Thaïs’s beauty. Palémon repeats his warning not to get involved
-with the afairs of the outside world. hat night, Athanaël again has a vision of hais, irst as a
+with the affairs of the outside world. That night, Athanaël again has a vision of Thais, first as a
 temptress, then as a saint about to die in the monastery. Waking, he cries he must go to her and
-runs of into the desert.
+runs off into the desert.
-Ater three months of penance, haïs is at the end of her strength. he distraught Athanaël arrives,
-and haïs gratefully remembers how he saved her. he monk replies that she has converted him to
+After three months of penance, Thaïs is at the end of her strength. the distraught Athanaël arrives,
-worldly love. haïs, in a trance, doesn’t understand his passionate confession and dies with a vision
+and Thaïs gratefully remembers how he saved her. The monk replies that she has converted him to
-of angels greeting her in heaven. Athanaël, shattered, is let alone, begging God for mercy.
+worldly love. Thaïs, in a trance, doesn’t understand his passionate confession and dies with a vision
+of angels greeting her in heaven. Athanaël, shattered, is left alone, begging God for mercy.
+{{met:imgb288.jpg?200|}}