Athanael (baritone Thomas Hampson) returns to his fellow Cenobite monks and reports on the sinfulness of the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The monks sleep, but Athanael is awakened by a vision of the Venus-worshiping courtesan Thaïs (soprano Renée Fleming). Ignoring Palemon's (bass Stefano Palatchi) advice, Athanael returns to Alexandria to save Thaïs's soul. He goes to his former friend Nicias (tenor Giuseppe Sabbatini), with whom Thaïs has recently been having an affair. She's dining with Nicias that evening and Athanael allows Nicias's beautiful slaves to dress him. Intrigued by the monk who's taken such an interest in her, Thaïs warns Nicias that she means to leave him.

Thaïs is bored with life and fearful of old age. Athanael's divine vision touches her: she agrees to destroy all her possessions and accompany him to the Convent of Albine in the Egyptian desert. But when Athanael tries to take Thaïs away, an angry mob gathers; only Nicias's gold prevents them from stoning the holy man. After leaving her at the convent, Athanael realizes that he will never again see Thaïs, so he determines to forget her. But he unexpectedly has a vision of the novice nun on her deathbed. Rushing to the convent, Athanael confesses his love to the dying Thaïs, but by now she has eyes only for Heaven.

Yves Abel conducts the Boardeaux Aquitaine National Orchestra and the Bordeaux Grand-Theatre Chorus in this 2000 Decca recording, CD 466766. In this gorgeous duet, Athanael vigorously tries to persuade Thaïs to leave her courtesan lifestyle. Renée Fleming is Thaïs and Thomas Hampson is Athanael in the Confrontation Scene:

This week's WCPE Opera House is an encore performance, hosted by the late Al Ruocchio (1937-2007).

Please join me next Thursday, June 27th, for the 1966 New York City Opera production that turned Beverly Sills into a household name: Handel's Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Julius Caesar in Egypt). In a role originally composed in 1724 for the castrato Senesino, Sills brings to life the multi-faceted Queen Cleopatra. She's joined by Norman Treigle (Caesar), Maureen Forrester (Cornelia), Beverly Wolff (Sextus), Dominic Cossa (Achillas), Michael Devlin (Nirenus), and Spiro Malas (Ptolemy). Julius Rudel conducts.

The WCPE Opera House is heard every Thursday evening at 7 o’clock in the Eastern time zone on 89.7 FM in central North Carolina, and we’re streamed online at http://www.theclassicalstation.org.

— W. Robert Chapman, Host of the WCPE Opera House