La Mort de Thaïs. Concert Paraphrase on Massenet’s Opera

Premiered on 16 March 1894 in Paris and performed in a revised version in 1898, Massenet’s Thaïs did not really achieve success until 1907. However, one scene immediately won lasting popularity: the “Méditation de Thaïs” from Act 2, after the confrontation between Thaïs and Athanaël, which leaves the heroine in turmoil. The beautiful courtesan’s feelings are amply conveyed by the rapturous, sensual melody of a solo violin, without any need for voice. The Méditation is heard again several times in Act 3, particularly when Athanaël leaves a reformed Thaïs at the convent in the care of Mother Superior Albine and, later, when the young woman dies. In 1895, Saint-Saëns wrote a paraphrase condensing the latter scene and dedicated it to Louise Massenet, the composer’s wife. The nuns’ simple phrase and Athanaël’s passionate, tormented discourse are followed by a stormy symphonic interlude which leads into a virtuoso piano episode. After a reminder of the nuns’ psalmody, the second half of the paraphrase is based on the Méditation. Like Liszt with his transcription of Wagner’s Death of Isolde, Saint-Saëns discarded the vocal parts (which sing snatches of the instrumental melody or interject recitative-style phrases). He also cut Athanaël’s cry of grief when he realises too late that he loves Thaïs. While the opera ends suddenly in a tragic mood, the piano score closes on the ethereal sounds of one of the most famous tunes in opera.