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Dialogues des Carmélites
Opera in 3 acts and 12 scenes
Music by Francis Poulenc
Libretto by
Georges Bernanos,
on his play, inspired by a novel of Gertrud von le Fort
& by a scenario of Rev. Father Bruckberger and Philippe Agostini
First Performance: Teatro alla Scala, Milan, January 26, 1957
Cast:
Blanche de la Force Lyric
soprano
Prioress Contralto
Madame Lidoine Soprano
Mother Marie Mezzo
soprano
Sister Constance Lyric
soprano
Chevalier de la Force Tenor
Marquis de la Force Baritone
Mother
Jeanne Contralto
Sister Mathilde Mezzo
soprano
Father Confessor Tenor
Two
officers Tenor &
baritone
Jailer Baritone
Thierry Baritone
M. Javelinot Baritone
Chorus: SAATTBB and 11 nuns (S, M, C)
Background
Synopsis
Blanche de la Force joins the Carmelites hoping to escape from the
realities of life among the revolution-threatened French aristocracy,
though she is forwarned by the elderly Prioress that the order is not a
refuge, and that her salvation lies only within herself. Sister
Constance tells Blanche of the premonition that they will die together.
The Prioress dies and is replaced not by her assistant, Mother Marie,
but by an outsider, Madame Lidoine.
As the Revolution approaches Blanches is urged by her brother to
return to their father, but she refuses. The revolutionary regime orders
all religious groups dissolved. In the absense of Madama Lidoine, Mother
Marie secures what appears to be a unanimous vow of martyrdom from the
sisters. The Carmelites are forced to leave the convent.
Blanche returns to her father;s home as a servant and refuses
Mother Maries' plea to rejoin her sisters. Arrested and sentenced to
die, the nuns go to their death singing, and as the last one, Sister
Constance, is executed, the repentant Blanche appears and mounts the
scaffold to join her companions in martyrdom.
Libretto
Links
Last updated: January 08, 2008