Massenet's Thaïs | Chelsea Opera Group Chorus and Orchestra

One of Massenet’s most popular operas, Thaïs was first performed in 1894, two years after Werther. Set in Alexandria in the fourth century AD, it tells the story of Thaïs, a courtesan, and Athanaël, a monk who converts her to the Christian faith but cannot prevent himself from becoming enslaved by her beauty.

The Méditation, the violin solo which depicts Thaïs’s awakening faith, is one of the most famous of operatic excerpts, but the whole score shows Massenet at his best. The arias for Thaïs are brilliant and seductive and the confrontations between Thaïs and Athanaël have music of great beauty and emotional power.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 5.45pm given by Simon Bainbridge - free to ticket holders