Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Opera House

Dates: February 02-06, 2018

About

The opera Thaïs was adapted by dramatist Louis Calais according to the novel of the same name authored by French writer Anatole France.The novel won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1921. Composed by French composer Jules Massenet, the opera Thaïs was premiered at Palais Garnier on February 16th, 1894. By telling a story of a young ascetic monk Athanaël saving a famous courtesan Thaïs and then becomes degenerate, the opera reveals inextricable mental and entangled disputes. Numerous elegant arias and ensembles are created by the composer for male and female leading roles. Intermezzo Meditation between the first and second scenes in Act II is often performed individually at concerts. It is not only a longstanding classical violin solo, but also the best-known representative work by Jules Massenet.

Cast

Thaïs (Soprano): Ermonela Jaho/Davinia Rodriguez

Athanaël (Baritone): Plácido Domingo/Marc Barrard

Nicias (Tenor): Alessandro Liberatore /LI Yi

Palémon (Bass): ZHANG Wenwei/Deyan Vatchkov

Crobyle (Soprano): JIA Kun

Myrtale (Mezzo): DONG Fang

Albine (Alto): DUAN Nina

A Servant (Baritone): HONG Zhiguang

La Charmeuse (Soprano): ZHANG Wenqin

Synopsis

During the fourth century A.D., in Byzantine Egypt, a young ascetic monk Athanaël wants to persuade Thaïs to become a Christian. However, Thaïs is a peerless beauty of Alexandria. She is a believer in Venus. It is too late when Athanaël finds himself deeply obsessed with Thaïs. Thaïs, a former courtesan once immersed into hedonism, is influenced by Athanaël and keeps the faith. Nevertheless, Athanaël, previously, devoted to God, reveals the nature of sin and sinks into carnal desire for Thaïs with unsurpassed beauty.