Saint Francois d'Assise (Saint Francis of Assisi), a French opera by Olivier Messiaen. Opera plot summary, character list, and other opera information.

Saint Francis of Assisi (Saint Francois d'Assise), is a religious drama in 3 acts, 8 scenes, composed by French composer Oliver Messiaen (December 10, 1908 – April 28, 1992). It is based on the 14th century religious texts "Fioretti" and "Considerations Sur les Stigmates." The setting is in 13th-century Italy. The opera was premiered in Paris, Palais Garnier, Opera, on November 28, 1983.

Olivier Messiaen, one of 20th century's most influential French composers, was also a teacher, ornithologist, and a church organist. Among his varied sources, he drew on Medieval and oriental music. He was particularly moved by birdsongs. In this opera, he applied serialism or the 12-tone method, developed by Arnold Schoenberg.

Saint Francis of Assisi was a Roman Catholic friar and founder of the Franciscan order. He is the Patron saint of animals, birds, and the environment, and famous for his well-loved "Peace Prayer of Saint Francis" that has endeared him to everyone's heart.

Main Characters

• St Francois (Saint Francis) baritone
• Frere Leon (Brother Leon) baritone
• Frere Bernard (Brother Bernard) bass
• Le Lepreux (The Leper) tenor
• L'Ange (Angel) Soprano
• Frere Massee (Brother Masseus) tenor
• Frere Elie (Brother Elias) (tenor)

Plot Summary / Synopsis

Act I

Scene 1. A road.

Saint Francois is walking along a road and he explains to Brother Leon that perfect happiness consists of willingly bearing injury and discomfort.

Scene 2. Interior of a little, cloistered church

Francoise prays and asks God for strength to face and love his greatest fear: lepers.

Scene 3. A room in the leper hospital, the Hospice of Saint Savior by the Walls

The leper complains about his sufferings. Francois comforts the leper. An angel makes a visit and heals the leper.

Act 2

Scenes 1–2. In a monastery room and road on the mountain of La Verna

Frere Massee welcomes a traveler, who is actually an angel visiting the monastery and asks the brothers about predestination, but Frere Elie refuses to answer the angel's questions.

Francois is in prayer and has a vision of an angel who speaks to him about music. The angel appears, carrying a viol and is recognized by Francois. The angel responds with music.

Scene 3. At the Hermitage of the Carceri.

Saint Francois preaches to the birds, blesses them, who respond in a birdsong concert.

Act 3

Scene 1. The mountain of La Verna

Saint Francois prays and asks the Lord to give him sensations of His pain during the Passion, and of the Love that allowed Him to endure pain. As Francois starts to taste Christ's suffering, the Lord, speaking through the chorus, tells Saint Francois that no pain is too great to bear for Eternal Life. Francois is overjoyed with ecstasy. He receives the stigmata.

Scene 2. Interior of the church of the Porziuncola at Saint Mary of the Angels.

Inside the church of the Porziuncola, monks surround Francois while dying. while he bids them farewell, he sees the vision of the Angel and the Leper. As he dies, the chorus sing their praises to God.

Sources

Dictionary of Composers and Their Music, by Eric Gilder, Sphere Reference (1987)

Opera, by Alan Riding & Leslie Dunton-Downer, DK, (2006)

The Opera Manual, by Nicholas Ivor Martin, Da Capo Press (1997)