"Francis
of Assisi (1181-1226), a figure known and loved throughout the world.
Believers and unbelievers admire him perhaps just as much as Roman
Catholics. The poverello, as this poor, humble little monk
described himself, still fascinates us in the era of turbocapitalism.
His natural, hopeful, sunny disposition, his tender love for creation
and for humanity, his spirit rooted in the Gospel, the audacity of his
vocation and the tenacity of his struggle against the stifling norms of
his time are all part of the mythical image we have of Saint Francis of
Assisi today. Olivier Messiaen's opera 'Saint François
d'Assise', which premiered in Paris in 1983, recounts the life of this
great seeker of God’s truth and founder of the Franciscan Order. The
three-act structure of the work mirrors the Christian Trinity, and its
eight tableaux are the numerical symbol of spiritual renewal and the
beginning of a new time. Messiaen considered it the apex of his work.
The opera resonates deeply and singularly with all the characteristics
of the believer, composer and committed Roman Catholic that was
Messiaen. The systematic use of leitmotif, the composer’s synaesthetic
conception of modal and tonal creation, the rhythmic complexity he
gleaned from his passionate love of birdsong and the grandeur of his
Late French Romantic dramatic gesture: it all finds its place and
refuge in the greater glory of God, being far more than the mere
expression of sophisticated musical artistry. Moreover, the work is of
extraordinary dimensions: lasting over four hours, with not just dozens
but almost hundreds of performers among the instrumentalists of the
orchestra, chorus and soloists. A score as detailed as a medieval
illumination and a monumental challenge for an opera house!" (Summary written for Grand Théâtre de Genève's cancelled 2020 performance. See here.)
Performers: Orchestre de l'Opéra de Paris, Chœurs de l'Opéra de Paris, Seiji Ozawa, José van Dam, Christiane Eda-Pierre
1.1. Acte I: La Croix
1.2. Acte I: Les Laudes
1.3. Acte I: Le Baiser Au Lépreux
2.1. Acte II: L'Ange Voyageur
2.2. Acte II: L'Ange Musicien
3.1. Acte III: Le Prêche Aux Oiseaux
4.1. Acte IV: Les Stigmates
4.2. Acte IV: La Mort Et La Nouvelle Vie
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