大象传媒

ACT I

Egypt, fourth century A.D. The old Pal茅mon and his fellow monks await the return of Athana毛l, one of their brothers. He enters and tells them how he found the city of Alexandria in a state of sin and under the influence of the courtesan Tha茂s, whom he remembers seeing once in his youth before he joined the order. Athana毛l believes her behavior is an affront to God, and despite Pal茅mon鈥檚 warnings not to interfere with matters of the secular world he is determined to convert her to a life of devotion and faith. While the other monks retire to bed, Athana毛l lies awake and has a vision of Tha茂s. He prays for strength and, as dawn breaks, wakes his brothers, telling them he must journey back through the desert and save Tha茂s鈥檚 soul. Pal茅mon repeats his warning as Athana毛l leaves for Alexandria.

Athana毛l arrives in the city of his birth, whose luxury and learning he left behind to pursue a spiritual life (鈥淰oil脿 donc la terrible cit茅鈥�). He comes to the house of the wealthy Nicias, a friend of his youth, who tells him that Tha茂s is his mistress of the moment, but that he will soon lose her since he has run out of money. Athana毛l replies that he has come to convert Tha茂s. Nicias laughs at this and warns him that Venus will take revenge for it, but he agrees to introduce Athana毛l to her. He asks his slave girls to dress the monk in new clothes. Tha茂s appears, saying goodbye to Nicias after a week of love. Athana毛l confronts her and announces his intention, which she dismisses lightly, asking him why he denies his true nature and doesn鈥檛 give in to love. As she is about to take off her clothes, he leaves in horror, declaring he will wait for her at her own house.

ACT II

Tha茂s, alone in her bedroom, suddenly realizes the superficiality of her life. Looking into a mirror, she asks herself what will happen once her beauty fades (鈥淒is-moi que je suis belle鈥�). Athana毛l enters and she warns him not to love her. He replies that there is a kind of love she doesn鈥檛 know and that this love will lead to eternal life. The voice of Nicias, heard from outside, reminds Tha茂s of her past. Rejecting both her life of luxury and Athana毛l鈥檚 God, she collapses in despair. Athana毛l says he will wait for her outside the door until daybreak.

After a night of soul-searching (Orchestral interlude: 鈥淢茅ditation鈥�), Tha茂s appears from her house to tell Athana毛l that she is ready to follow him. He explains that he will take her to the convent of Mother Albine, but before they leave she must burn her palace and all her belongings. She agrees, asking to keep only a statue of Eros, but Athana毛l smashes it and leads her back into the house. Nicias enters with his friends. He has gambled and won and now wants to keep Tha茂s as his mistress a while longer. After a dancer has performed a ballet, accompanied by the singing of Nicias鈥檚 slave girls, Tha茂s and Athana毛l reappear from the palace. When the monk announces her conversion, the crowd threatens to stone him for taking Tha茂s away. Nicias distracts them by throwing money around and Athana毛l and Th盲is escape as her palace goes up in flames.

ACT III

Tha茂s and Athana毛l rest at an oasis near Mother Albine鈥檚 settlement. Tha茂s is exhausted and feels unable to continue, but Athana毛l demands that she ignore her physical weakness. Only when he sees that her feet are bloody does he feel pity; he goes off to get water. Tha茂s praises his kindness and thanks him for having brought her to salvation (Duet: 鈥淏aigne d鈥檈au mes mains鈥�). At the convent, Albine and the nuns welcome Tha茂s. When she says goodbye to Athana毛l, he realizes with horror that he will never see her again.

Back at the monks鈥� retreat, Pal茅mon remarks that Athana毛l seems like a dead man since his return. Athana毛l confesses that, in spite of all his fasting and prayer, the image of Tha茂s鈥檚 beauty still haunts him. Pal茅mon once again repeats his warning not to get involved with the affairs of the outside world. In his sleep, Athana毛l sees Thais, first as a temptress, then as a saint about to die in the monastery. Waking, he cries he must go to her and runs into the desert and an approaching sandstorm.

Tha茂s lies dying after three months of penance. Albine welcomes the distraught Athana毛l, and Tha茂s gratefully remembers how he saved her. The monk replies that she has converted him to worldly love. Tha茂s, in a trance, doesn鈥檛 understand his passionate confession and dies with a vision of angels greeting her in heaven. Athana毛l, shattered, is left alone, begging God for mercy.