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    Saint Francois d'Assise by Olivier Messiaen ‘concert performance sung in French Saint Frangois David Wilson-Johnson L'Ange Heidi Grant Murphy Frére Massée Toby Spence Frére Léon Christopher Maltman Le lépreux Stuart Kale Frére Elie James Gilchrist Frére Berard Frédéric Caton Fidre Syvestre vor Klayman Frére Rufin Peter Cannell ie Hartmann-Claverie Dominique Kim Ondes Martenot Pascale Rousse-Lacordaire Radio Filharmonisch Orkest Holland Ronald Hoogeveen lezder Reinbert de Leeuw conductor [DIPENS LEEUG, Pats / UTED UE: PUBLISHERG ID, Lon Synopsis uty tay, The subject of each scono is borrowed. FReffexions on thé Stigmata, books waitton by anonyme here are Sven characters: The Ang Act1 Scene 4: The Cross St Francis explains to Brother Leo Scene 2: Lauds Afr the recitation of Matins by the Brothors, St Frans, remaining alone, asks God that he might meet a leper and be capable of loving him, ‘Sosne 3: The Kissing of the Lee A eper-hospital. A teper, horrible and repulsive, covered in blood lepor talks to him gently. An angel appears behind a window and says: "Leper, your heart accuses you, but God is greater than your haart.” Troubled by the voice ane! by the goooness of St Fi leper is stricken with remorse for his violence, St Francis embraces the leper. A miracle! The lopor is cured, Ths leper dances for joy More important than the cure of the leper is the growth of grace in the soul of St Francis and his exuitation at having triumphed over himsal INTERVAL OF 20 MINUTES: Photo: Andy McGregor © 2001 Act 2 Sosne 4: The Joumeying Angel ‘A forest road on La Verna. An angel appears on the road. He has the appearance of a traveller. He knocks on the door of the monastery and this makes a tertifc ound symbolising the inrush of Grace. Brother Masseo opens the door. The Angel ‘asks Brother Blas, the vicar of the Order, a question about Predestination. Brother Elias refuses to answer and pushes the Angel outside, The Ange! knocks on the door again and puts the same question to Brother Bemard who replies with much wisdom. The Angel having gone, Brother Bernard and Brother Masseo look at each cother and Brother Bernard remarks: "Pornaps it was an angol." ‘Soane 5: The Angst Musician ‘The Angel appears to St Francis, and, to give him a foretaste of oalestial bliss, plays im a solo on his viol. This solo is so pleasant thet St Francis swoons. ‘Scene 6: The Semon of the Birds We are at Assisi, at the Carcer. A lage green oak tree, Its Spring and many birds are singing. St Francis, folowed by Brother Masseo, preaches a sermon tothe birds INTERVAL OF 20 MINUTES, tinualy. Five luminous beams dart from the cross and sucoassively strike the two the two feet, and! the right side of St Francis, with the same tentfic sound that eccompanied the Angel's knocking. These five wounds, which resemble tho five wounds of Christ, are the divine confirmation of St Frencis's holiness. Scene 8: Death and the New Life St Francis is dying, stetched out ful length on the ground. All the brothers are {round him, He bids farewell to ail those whom he has loved, and sings the last verse of his Canticle ofthe Sun, the verse of "our sister bodily Death.” The brothers sing Psalm 141. The Angel and the Leper appear to St Francis to comfort him. St Francis utters his last words: ‘Lordl Music and poetry have led me to Thee .. in detauit of Truth ...dazzle me torever by Thy excess of Truth...” He des, The balls ring. Everything cisappsars, While the choir hymns the Resurrection a patch of light ituminates the spot where previously the body of St Francis lay. The ight increases: Until it becomes binding and unbearable, Curtain, & Olivier Messiaen (1908 — 1992) Saint Frangois d'Assise In Novernber 1974 the first performance was given in New York of Messiaen’s large had another ‘work or works in mind since, as his widow ‘Yvonne Loriod has testified, Messiaen, despite bouts of il hei id not believe in plans he had were interrupted by a. Liebermann was insistent and the ‘composer fally gave way. ‘As Messiaen wrote in the programme for the first performances at the Opéra in November and December 1983, “trom the age of eight | had read al the theatrical works of Shakespeare, and in my class at the Paris Conservatoire | analysed many mm Monteverdi, Rameau and Mozart to Pelléas and Wozzeck, by way of Wagner and Boris Godunov. But | did not of his.less adul on the problem “juxtaposed”, We can see that Messiasn's: 'RAbILUET Mosaic structures might not be suitable os support for a gradually ng story tne, ‘endless melody’) clearly has more to offer. Messiaen squared this cicie by changing the nature of "Franciscan Scenes’, in essence eight sul Giferent aspects of Grace in Saint Francis's soul’, in which physical action is often subordinate to philosophical and theological enauiry {the nearest the Opéra had ‘come to such a work previcusly being perhaps Magnard's Guercoeur, produced there in 1901, which Messia ‘At the same time the composer insisted ‘work was more than a "spectacle symphonique’, a became a set “showing the ist surely have seer staged symphony. As we might expect from a composer who always laid such ‘emphasis on colour, and whe indeed saw colours in his mind's eye of all the saints, he is the ‘one most like Christ.. ‘Messiaen on St Francis and costumes are an Indispensable part of the whole. And partaking of both colour and story line are the birds, for wham Messiaen shared the Saint's affection. Inn interview he gave while warking on the opera, Messiaen mentioned the name ives from Wagner true. Each of the seven ong, but there sre none of the i) or places (eg Vaihala moti, to earlier, simpler systems such as one finds in Grétyy's Richard Coeur-de-Lion of 1784, where them land personal referenos. This usage accords perfec contemplative nature of Messiasn's opera. birdsong, Each of his appatitions is preceded by the cry of the Gorygone, a warbler fom an island near New Caledonia, consisting of four descending notes played on piccalos, xyloahone and glockenspel. The Angel's own speech is distinguished by the prominent rising fith, in both his opening tines on the words “ton coeur, The Saint has four themes and one brdsong, of another warbler tx, anproprately, one found in Assis. The frst of the Saint's themes to be heard is one on violins, «,,..hae was rich in sun, flowers, ‘when Francis speaks of ‘sight to the hearing to the deaf, and speech trees, birds, tains...” basic tekceeieaulbaeedcenlatad 10 dumb", and consists of a ‘Messiaen on St Francis seven-note phrase heard twice, answered by a five-note one, It is highly typical of ‘its composer in conforming to what one might call ised piainsong", complete with Mossiaen's favourite interval oft He makes us hear pisinsong with new ars, just as the Ange''s rising fifth sounds like no rising fifth written before it. five characters ae confined to.one theme and one birisong each. Frere distingulsied from his companions in what Messizen cescribes vith trombone and string gssandos’, Frere Elia was battle betiwoen poverty and power that continued to be fought within the order over ‘the succeeding centuries. Messiaen recognized that this baitle is to some extent represented in the opera itself, which is so wondertuly full of magnificent sounds: the swooping ofthe ondes Martenot, the ecstatic loper's dance in the third scene, the chorus of birds in the slkth, the astonishing hummed chord cluster at the beginning ofthe sevonth, and in which the opera ends. How to reconcile these orchestral riches withthe Saint's fe of poverty? Messiaen’s answers that the Saint +i in sunght, in moonlight, inthe stars, inthe colours of te sky, ... He hac nothing, but he was ich in everything... Far from sic full of coloured textures, coloured rhythms and resounding ‘chords seems to me, on the contrary, to be perfectly matched to his eal internal nature." Note by Roger Nichols © 2001, Messiaen’s colours, light and time “Musicians have yet to be told about the death of God. Stravinsky and Schosnberg, \who dominated the westem ciassical traction throughout most ofthe frst half of the twentieth century, were crawn to reigious subjects repeatedly, with increasing Intensity. And of composers working now, some ofthe most widely acclaimed! have devoted themselves to setting the psalms and prayers of ancient rites, while Harrison Birtwistle, champion of opera, took as subject for his most recent work: ‘The Last Supper. Music, mich more than poetry or painting, goos on reaching for the transcendental, and doing so within the terms of conventional religion, most ‘often Christianity. There is certainly no, among twentieth-century artists in other forms, to Oliver Messiaen, wtto in almost everything he composed, from the ‘organ pieces he published as a very young man around 1930 to the massive ‘orchestral work he finished just before his death in 1992 — concerned himsetf with, ‘as he putit, "the truths of the Catholic fit" Messiaen's biggest work was an opera. For years he had avoided the genre, believing that ts possibites had been exhausted, that in any event they had never jgmata that he received core ~ for an unusually large orchestra of 119 musleins and a choir of 1 well as the seven solo singers — and he created a work that plays, not counting intermissions, for four tion was given at the Paris Opéra in in his feet, hands and side", He soent elght years sled of himself, Messiaen tured otto posses a strona talent forthe theatre, and though that talent may have been an unusual one, Sant Frangois', 38 much as any requir opera, a work that rwokes the sl and passion of the singing voice ~ coming not just out of @ siiger BUT oUt Ota Character — 16 project ‘arta Even so, the dramatic events here pursus one anther at an exceedingly stow “pace — perhaps something haopens every ten minutes or so ~ and can ready be supplied by the theatre of the mind, which may evan bee better adapted to the ‘@ppearances of an angal than any concrete theaite of sats and singers Consistent about what those colours weré, sometimes marking them in his scores. Bue ~ the streight, vivid cabelt biue of Chartres or of the Meciterranean in full sun — ‘was an A major chord in the middle-high register, More often, though, the visual ‘fect would be complex, opalescent, Nea *,..e should not ferget the characteristic that makes him absolutely unique ~ his love of nature expressed in forms virtualiy unknown to the more artificial world of music...” Boulez on Messiaen oom, oF from a baritone’s vocal cords vibrating within the air in his head, throat ang degree we can, because what Messieen understood as I his music he based on a small botion’ fo top, dark grey, mauve, ight grey, and white with mauve and pale very fine, hardly visio’, We might wi oxperience we could all way, and to.@ ‘chest. Coming at an advanced point in the history of harmony, and thoroughly ‘acquainted with the harmonic achievements of his colleagues from Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Debussy and Bart6k to such younger composers as Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen and lannis Xenakis, all of whom were his pupils hundreds of citferent chords in his music. Al he used In Saint Frangois the colour whee! spins through everything from the blacks ane dark greys of the passage before the stigmata scene —2 weld, atonal nactume —to the brilant white of the closing choral, intoned by the ‘orchestra in long chords ‘assembly of choir and ‘chants from low bass voices with even iower bass instruments. This is why the resources have to be So vast, 10 provide sulfcient numbers and varioty of Constituent sounds and sufficient amplitude, Messiaen was well aware of the seeming contradiction in using more than 270. image ofthe protagonist as thet of ine world of which he apart. Francis espoused poverty, but, as Massiaen pointed out, “ne was rich in sui, ‘fowars, rees, Birds, oceans, mountains” — n allthe phenomena, ane might add, for which he gave thanks in bis Canticle ofthe Sun, which he sings during the course of the opera. Saint Frangois is a canticle of a si ‘celebrating birdsong. Much of the musical mater kind, a canticle of sound, from the early 1950s onward, consists of imitations of birdsongs, most of them Notated by the composer in the wild. Woodwind groups and percussion ensembles ‘evoke the brillant chiminge of robins and warblers, the cocings of doves and ows, the harsher tones of hawks or the wisrant cals of bits from New Caledonia. Within this musical aviery, the human voices do indeed comport themselves with characters do not si ainsong ~ plainsong unfolding, they chant, And for each of ther, the chant moves through & ‘mall number of formulae particuer to that character. nthe extreme case of Brother Leo, the youngster among Saint Francis's companions, the chant is fixed to the to the same melodic shapes in 2 of the four scenes in ‘which he appears, so that hte comes on each time singing the same thing. More, Usually, the formulae are adapted to dierent verbal phrases, just as, nthe plainsong through to the end. But normally concerned 2 cisadvantage, because Messiaen was not singing as a way of enriching verbal sense or revealing States of mind. Saint Francis, who sings n ali but one ofthe operas eight scenes, is shown in various attitudes: giving lessons to hie brothers in the spiritual ite (ornithology included as an appreciation of the created real}, praying, discoursing with a leper and with an angel, oreaching to the bids, dying. But in his music he is always the same: steady, resolute, melodic repertory, The mesic is thet, ina stained-glass wit Virtually tho same in diferent scenes ft same. His melodic sequences are his, medieval cathecral worship, in which a story from the past is held up to view, and in ‘which — because the effort is all of memory, not interpretation ~ it re-achieves the immediacy of happening now. ‘This hes 2 beering on what might have been a problem, that the unalterableness of his body. In the folowing scene, at the moment when Saint Francis dias, the huge cchoir cals on God with a fierce yell. Here is another reason for the work's personne! to be so numerous: to meke a dkino din, truth" Music preparatory ging us ‘not knowledge but an awareness of the “God dazzles us hy excess of knowlodge we need. Music is aso trutit, Music carries us to God llustretve, Messiaen would have said. hy ant of truth.” He was explicit about his wish to create his own dazzlement, for instanos by the Frm Messiaen's Libretto ‘explosions of colour and clamour that happen in Saint Francois or by the slow, swest melody the angel plays to the saint in the fth scene, a melody carried on the unearthly breeze of electronic sound, from In Saint Francais speaks of carainty, but most of alts continuous present, Its absence of development ~ musically as weil as in the treatment of cheracter. Exactly as the sung melodies keep returring, so do the ‘themes’ and bicisongs ofthe ‘orchestral fac. What Messiaen cals “themes” are not subjects such as appear in Bach, Beethoven or Wagner — ideas that can be varied, elaborated, extended, cut short ~ but rather objects, complete in themselves and brought back again and agein without change. They make their appearances as signals of the characters: Saint Francis’s pronouncements, by a short, robust melody ( But, beyond this elementary functon, they enaure ing through the same ideas. There are, to be sure, things “1 did not think i was gifted for the theatve.” Messiaen birds make after they have listened in silence to Saint Frencio’s eormon, There core these single mages. But, lke foures ina stained-glass window, they ate overwhelmed by the background of repeeting ‘elements. Saint Francois has this in common with stained-glass windows, too, thet t even necessary, ator sity: steady through all the boing quite unike anyone else's, yields no avenues of comparison ing us this time ~in presenting us with the fresh present ~ Saint Frangois exceeds the boundaries of its parti But Essay by Paul Gritiths © 2001 a MESSIAEN : ST FRANCOIS D’ASSISE Premier Acte Act 1 Premier Tableau: La Croix Arad. in the idole endat tna rear ofthe slog, a stata, To the leftard to the night of the stakease ae hwo inparetrable rows of tl thick, dark-green cypress, The staoase has many taps and ises waxy high, tggced by a great black cross standing out clear against te bbe sky. Entarng the road ram tho righ, Sint Francis and Brethr Leo, Thay walk one babs the oer Brother Leo font and Saint Fanci to bain hin, inthe manner ofthe Fas Minar Both have thr hoocs up. 1E LEON eu, su la route, quand s‘agrandssent ‘Scene one: The Cross BROTHER LEO lam afta on the rad, when windoes gow larger ard more obscure, whan the eaves ofthe pohsetano lange tur re, SAINT FRANCIS (Heats) Gear. O heaven! .. Brother Lac? rexrjseent plus es fouls du poinsetia. SAINT FRANGOIS fis‘antio) tora. Ol. Frbra Léon? FRERE LEON (i s'eréie et sa atourne) Mon Pere? BROTHER LEO (He staps anc tans around) My Fate? SAINT FRANCIS Even f you Far Minox wero to give sight to the blind, horing to the daa, and epoon tothe dumb: know that al his isrcthappiness, portectioy. SAINT FRANCOIS. urd, a parole aux musts: coda rest pas la jl, la ie (roster Leo an Sait Frcs st of ance mere) FRERE LEON surfs route, quend ell vamour, ous de pau, la leur de is. Fino oe vat, BROTHER LEO SAINT FRANCIS He hats,) ear. peer. 0 Crest. Brother Leo? BROTHER LEO (Ho sions and tus round) My fate? My far? SAINT FRANCOIS s‘néto) Cera. Ociel.. Corie. Free Léor FRERELEON (is'aréieet s2cetoune,) Mon Pére? Men Pita? SAINT FRANCOIS. Meme se Fre Minour poseddaittoutos oo sclonces, et pouvat prophatser en rar fos choses ulus ot ks secrets cos cxeuts: Sache, tte bien, qu tout cola est pass ja, Lajos pariite (Protier Leo and Saint Francis goon the way again) FRERE LEON BROTHER LEO Jai peux surtarouto, quand s'agrandissent et am ean the read, when the windows row -stobscurcisont ls tenes, larger and more obscure SAINTFRANGOIS fis'aréte) ‘SAINT FRANCIS (He hats) (© Gross... Cou his bo posse. But were toleen on Tree, Saved Tee, what stengih ‘would! Thou nt give me... Brother Leo? BROTHER LEO (Ho stops and tus around) My totner? Men Pere? ‘froots and wales, evan were fo preach Unt al men were converted, ging at (Father Leo anc Sant Francis take fw steos) FRERELEON starts tout tate 6.900 capuchon) are ost a tose fis quo tu artes pour (Ho stops atogether and removes his hood) ‘kesser une liste das pus hauts sommats dee “Tet me then, Father, Ibe9 you. whe tov? PLEASE TURN PAGES QUIETLY SAINT FRANCOIS. Frere Laon, petitsbrebis, coute bien ce queje vais ted, (Salo Francis aso removes is hood: Father Lao ands sit aba an the botom steps ofthe staesse) Silsemet aplewoiret que, vempés de pie, souls de boue, torments para faim, nous arrvons ears une tbs longus marche la porte du cowvert a quele partir ne nous recomaisse pas et etuse de nous OWN — 51 ‘ous insistons ot rappons la pate ct quole la pote et quo'e por, exaspors, soto avec Un grand baton, nous ance par tere et nous ‘SAINT FRANCIS. BictherLeo,Flstemb, ston wel towhet am. ‘ong ote you Int str torn and, soaked wth ain, ‘covered inn, tormented by hangar, Ne ative ato a very long walk atthe door of the monastery and ifthe porter does rol recocrise us and refuses fo open up forus— ite insist and knock on tho doo andif to porter abuses \s, saying: Go away vagebonds! miserable ‘thieves, competed by hunger the stom and the right we inock again at the door andite ‘wasperatad pore comes out wah aig lek, ‘rows ust the round end beats us. Ne cHeEUR cHonUs (Cali guiveut rercher surmes pas. quirenonce He who would walkin my steps, let hen renounce luiméme qui premasa cog et qui me cube, Feel, take up his Cross and Kollow ms, Deuxiéme Tableau: Les Laudes. Scene two: Lauds. Interior of ait clstred church rath dark, with thse suncessive vauts nthe rear alin tho midi of the stage, are ip Ht before a tla rccates the presence ofthe Holy Sacre The curtain rises to revee Sant Francs and the tres Brothers Syesier, Alutss, Bamart) on ther since in prayer: Saint Frencis othe righ, the three Brother to tha et, fac hin. To the ight arc he Jottortho let of tro siagois the hors frcstne black shapes). ‘SAINT FRANCIS Be Thou prised, my Lor, cf Bother Wind, ancl tthe a anc tne cours, and of ae arco ‘eather Be Thou paisa, Lora bear these things patertty end ‘thinking ofthe biesescl Ons ‘ehoppnees, pete joy. Fer, above: favours end git of the Hoty Spit that Crt ove of Cl, is, inures, oprcbrium and eco. For all God ether gts, we cannot glory ‘pour Famour du Gh, es pees, es injures, les oppeobree les incommediée, 1a tous es autos dons do Diu, nous ne lorly ourselves, for theso borg os. That is ty the Anoste says "oot gly mys, save inthe Cross of our Lord Jesus Grist® ela cox, dala tribution, deacon, aus ppowrens nous Gori, car cela ous eopartent (eet pourquoi Apatre ck: ‘Jono me gore pan, sica n'est dans ‘croicde Note Seigneur Jésus-Chvis» (Saint Francis and Father Loo put the hoods up. They leave n stance tothe le. Father Leo walks in font, Sant Francis fons hia ttle way bahin. Gracy the ight focus cn ta great black ‘ross atthe fop ofthe stares. The cross is ow comply ft ups ts on thing that can bs ‘seen on the empty stage. The chorus, on the stage bu unseen, sas Hie sacral ont) FRERES SYLVESTRE, RUFIN & BERNARD ‘Yous 60s igre, SeigneurNote Diu. (CHCEUR, de reoevcirlouange et gore, hemeur et béndccton, FRERES SYLVESTRE, RUFIN & BERNARD Din eat "Agneay imal, cHcEUR 6 recevorforca et ite, sagesse at bulssance, honneus gore et bénéalon ‘SAINT FRANCOIS Lous ecist, mon Seigneur pour seu Eau, ela stirs ute ot hurl, orécouse ot chaste! FRERES SYLVESTRE, RUFIN & BERNARD Bénissez lo Seigneur toutes les eames du Seigneur cHEEUR (Qu sotout parle clot into, et toute crdature cu Cee la tro, BROTHERS SYLVESTER, RUFUS, BERNARD ‘Thovart worthy, our Lord God cHoRUS torecsive homage are gio, hanour and praise BROTHERS SYLVESTER, RUFUS, BERNARD Worthy is the Lam that has boon sacrifeed ‘CHORUS {oreceive power and city wom and strength, honour ery and aio, ‘SAINT FRANCIS Be Thou pice, my Lord, of Sister Wate, win e ‘much usetu and humble znd precious and pura {20 Thou prises my Lore of Brother Fiteby wich ‘Thouhstightoned night Ho's beaut andes ‘ndlrobust end strong! Ba Thou priced, Lor [BROTHERS SYLVESTER, RUFUS, BERNARD Bless ye to Lor, aye works of re Lav. cHoRUS May He be praised byheaven ancearth, andl ‘rectus of heaven and ert, PLEASE TURN PAGES QUIETLY FRERES SYLVESTRE, RUFIN & BERNARD ‘Bériosons lo Pb, f Fl, to San sprt cHCEUR ouone-e, et sessions ajar, cet produit teusiesfults ot os feu, es urs ‘aux mil couleur, fs fers et herb! Lous (Sant ancl and the tree Brother >.) CHCEUR, ‘Sir! Soin Saint! le Sigrour Dieu! quest, ot ‘quits ot aud vont (Tre tree Bros andthe chon eave stom) ‘CHEEUR ‘Lowe sit eu! (The te Eroters and the chemus cpa Sha) Lous got But EtowssotDiew! [BROTHERS SYLVESTER, RUFUS, BERNARD \etusbless te Father he Son athe Holy Cost ‘cHORUS Lotus pra Him, and it us exalt Himin the highest forever now an forvetmorel SAINT FRANCIS £0 Thou pricod, my Lor, for our Sistr Mother Earth which sustains end ham usin we, rc produces averse nuts and colour foners and ‘reds! Be Thou prised, Lord? cHoRUS Holy Holt Holy Lord God! hoi, and was, and is tocomel ‘CHORUS Gor be prasad Godteoprasedt ‘And God be preset (The three uote and the chat have eft. Sant Freres rama atone) rongtos, leu odaus hore aot ‘Seigneur Segnout Fai aroirenconirer un lepreux... ends capble ce Paimer SAINT FRANCIS thas made Time! Tine and also alowed ugliness to ist, thatthe pustiatng toad, he poisonous mustroom be fund ongside the dragonfly and the blued. Thou knowoat hour oar, what hoor Lhave o pers, of ‘heir ted foes, the staleand honbvestoncht —° Lora meet aloper.. Maka me capable ctloung in ‘Troisiome Tableau: Le Baiser au Lépreux Scene three: The kissing of the leper ‘Near Assis atthe Hospoe of Sahnt-Savcurbythe- Was. A roam inthe eperhaspial. A benan, 180 stools. At the back othe stag, lof ight window which opens onto dvkclane. The chorus ison the stage but prectoalyivisbe. The curtain ses to veal the Leper siting al elon, LELEPREUX THELEPER (Goer Sain Francis. Sant Francis ckaws back. He ckawe back a second tne, He draws near) SAINT FRANCOIS. SAINT FRANCIS: Dieu te donne apa re bine God grant you peace, beloved brother! (Saint Frans sits beside he Lapa} LELEPREUX THE LEPER vee pai pulse avor de Dieu, cul mma enw What pasce ean nave rom God, who hes {outbien, me endutout pour et ie? taken fom meal thal wes good, who has male me al ten antic? Goss, fonphas not home asmal pace ott? THELEPER Freres que tu 38 mis 8 mon service, 35 m8 ‘solgnent rai uf ce me sovlage, Bs _mrfigant leurs horrbles baverdagos, ours See sees cate ime they inficttheirhoribe cit-chat on me, remies nutes: thal unsies remedian! [SAINT FRANGOIS SAINT FRANCIS Exqunfaistu, ari, que fas-tude la very la And what do you make, fend, of vite, the verde patience? vitueof patience? LE LEPREUX THELEPER [Male co sont our gu m‘agacert, ne boussulent But tis thay who wory me, who jostle ‘ans tous es.sens,.etla démangeaicon de droctons... and theiching of my pustules ‘es pustules ne rend fou, seneis me mad PLEASE TURN PAGES QUIETLY SAINT FRANGOIS. (Of ton mal en penitence, ren LE LEPREUX La péntenca! a péritonoet Enlovo-mal e'abors mes pusives, et apres, abs jo foraipéritencet Etpus, ts Freres, jo sais ben quojeles déggdte: quand is me cient, sine einnent ‘meme pas aur erva de vom. SAINT FRANCOIS. Paves Free, font tout oe cute pewont LELEPREUX SAINT FRANGOIS. Silrerre iniriour est beou, apparatva lvioux Thouee de aréeurection [SAINT FRANCIS. ‘Ofer your pain 2s. penitence my son ‘THELEPER Penitoncel penitence! Fist take aay my pustules, and then Iw do pontence! Ares thon, ‘your others, know well that agus thers when they s88mms, ty ca not even hide se wish to vont SAINT FRANCIS Poor Brother, thay d6allthey can. THELEPER Ferrey, [wes yourg and strong! Now lam tke _alaat stricken wih midew all yelow with black spots ‘SAINT FRANCIS I theiener man handsome, he will eer loous nthe hour of resection, (he Ange! egpea's behind te wind nthe caries of the lane, A une hing alos tho ‘spectators to astnguish part of his feetures, his agoael and his wings, He Vib cy tthe spectators, Sant Fene’s. and the Leper hve thar beck tet ohn) LANGE pra, ton cur accuse, LE LEPREUX roi vit cote voi? SAINT FRANCOIS, ooutal LANGE Mais Feu et plus grand que ton ect LE LEPREUX (Quiestce qu chente ens? [SAINT FRANCOIS: Cost pout tte un ange sways ducil pour to recontoter. LANGE ‘vestamouy Hest plus grand que on cos connat teat THE ANGEL Leper, yous near 00888 yu. ‘THE LEPER Whence cares that voioe? SAINT FRANCIS. Unto THE ANGEL But Gods greater han yourhean, THE LEPER, Who eittha sings thus? SAINT FRANCIS ‘tis perhaps an nga! sant rom heaven to ‘omit you. THE ANGEL Hots Love. He is greater than yourhean. He rows LELEPREUX ‘Quai #? Je ne comerands pa, SAINT FRANGOIS. |: «Ton comsrYaceuso, mais Dewest pis grand queton oui LANGE Mais Dieu eat tout amour, et quiemeurs dans amour demeurt en Deu, ot Diu ent (iho Angel clsappoars) LELEPREUX Pardonne-mo, Pere je écriine toupurs. ‘Tes Frzes mappellant a Légreurt SAINT FRANCOIS (©2180 towvela stesee, quae chantelaolet LELEPREUX Je sian que jesus horrbi, ete mo degocta motes, SAINT FRANGOIS lise towwe feree, ue ove aves! LELEPREUX Mai to tu ae bon! Tumvappoles mon ami, ‘mon fer, man is SAINT FRANGOIS. ‘Curse rowers eneores, que /apporte la Lumiére! Pardenne oi, mon fis ene a pas ‘sez ims, THELEPER "What does he say? do not understand SAINT FRANCIS He says Yourheart accuses you, but Gods ‘footer than your haart.” ‘THE ANGEL, THELEPER Forgive me Father am aay taming others. ‘Your Brothers callme:the Leper SAINT FRANCIS Where sachess is found, nay sing happiness! THELEPER Veron wol that lam here, ond I dogust ysl. SAINT FRANCIS Whee eoris tours, ay Lnveal he tht THELEPER [Butyou, you ae good! Youll ne: ene, ry bret, my sont SAINT FRANCIS where dares i found, may Hag ight Forgiverme, ry son: |hawernotioved you enough {Saint Francis embraces the Lapsr Saint Francis moves aside, The Lapar sland uo, heal, his ara 1ais0d, completely traretormed) ‘THELEPER PLEASE TURN PAGES QUIETLY SAINT FRANCIS ‘Youwers the uptunad pyramid. usted on ls port... But God waited for you. ram the [SAINT FRANGOIS “Tu as a pyramice verso. enue sur ‘sapointe... Mais Diu attenda, de autro ct deere. otter side of ener 1 LE LEPREUK THE LEPER ; Lore suis pase tte gt. | amnet wero be healed \ {Henois isneetin arcs He weeps) SAINT FRANGOIS. SAINT FRANCIS Ne ese passifot ren fh Yatnen puss Don weep 9 sc my on lam no wortier ne spas cere dare gus of beng Peale (The wo ray together sence, Nght as gratly flan onthe two. The chow now ws a aroured the stag) ‘cHEUR Honus ‘A.couscqui ont beaiooup sims, tout ct To thove who have loved qaaty eis erguen pardonné! INTERVAL OF 20 MINUTES: Deuxiéme Acte Act 2 Quatriéme Tableau: Ange voyageur Scene four: The journeying angel ‘The mountain ofa Vora, On theft: sma ec very single hal nthe monastery which is closed bya great coos in the idle 2 roach te forest. Cats, pines, some fesured rocks, background ‘ofbaish mountains. On te font 2 te goto. The coor tothe monastery hale cpa Brother ‘Masseo Is stancing tthe doorway. Brother Lec entars. He commas em the rght, rom tho forest road, caring a sade end a woods plank He goes towards the monastay/ hal, sgn. FRERE LEON Jsipexr surfs route, quand s‘agrandscont ot Hot Brother Massao! am gong to ty and bull steps anc ate bridge betweon the rocks, ‘Would you mind the door? BROTHER MASSEO Yes, Bother Leo, | willbe porter fr today. ‘martes et un peti pont ert es rochers Vertu Yooouper dla pate? FRERE MASSE (Ou, Free Léon, ja sri porter por aujourcthu (athe leaves, carping his spac arc wooden park He goes au fo the rt, hing) FRERELEON BROTHER MASSEO Our Father Frarcis is down tein his goto | ‘ncui the to spank with rim mare tan. Bt | dort dare dst. him dung his hours of Notre Piro Frangois est &-bas dans sa grote Jamar i parr plus sowent, Maso noe asie dérangerpenclant ses houres orason, prayer (Fath Masseo comes back nfo the monastery al He closes tie door ard eaves io te et. The stage vers erp fora shart while, The Angalappssrs on the road, fo he right Ho has the _acpeerace ofa rave: He remains qute si. He kes @ fa sleps, very sly He wats along the road, aavesrng to dance without touching the grou, Having aivedn font a the manasiery bale knocks atte door very gant, butt makes trtble nasa, Father Masseo ances onthe let ofthe monastory ha) PLEASE TURN PAGES QUIETLY FRERE MASSE Qu paut Fepper deta ste? (te. g00s 1 tha dor ancl opens) Diod viens-u, mon fs? Tunes seen es dled pour tappor aux pores dune fagon si étronget (The angel enters the monastery hal) LANGE (avec susvits) ‘Comment, comment faut <9pper? FRERE MaSSéE. Frappe trois cours, krtement, pas ra fort. Pus {attends un momen fe temps dee un Pater qsaportr von 80 1 peu rapper une aut is, LANGE vio do, faro un ong oyage to ‘vous pater fon Pe Francois, mas tne tout pase strate do ea contemplation, En ationdat, puseposer une question 8 Fie Fie? FREREMASSEE rends patience quetives nites, aise chercher BROTHER MASSEO wero can knock ea that? ‘Whence comast thou. my son? Thou at surely roto hess pars to lockon dors in so stg amare THE ANGEL (gon)? How, how shoul one knock? BROTHER MASSEO ‘nei tees times, sow, not 19 ous, Then you wal a memant (he tmeto say an Our Fathan, Und the pore comes to you, rhe does not comme, youcan knock once more. THE ANGEL oom erate, Lam ona org une. would ask Brother Bas a question? BROTHER MASSEO Haves patience, ill oo and look for hi (Geone Masco goes ov and retuns witha short whieh Brother Bes Brother Es I agtated andi very bad hurmour) FRERE ELIE LANGE Tu sembles on col, Frere Ble... In coro ‘voublolospit, oo obscurcto dacemoment do vate. FRERE ELIE Lelso la vert tranquil! Ne 'occupe pas de monespt et di-mnol vtec que tu veuxt wort the rind, i obscures perception ofthe ut, BROTHER ELIAS. Leave Tuth in peacst Do not oncuy tse wth ry mind, and cuit tele what thou wanteet! santos a salnteld do a ws? Brother Bie is duenbiouncis) FRERE ELIE Mais, inal un secon, ma pale... En voka BROTHER ELIAS Sut, he preaches me asermon, my Word Joun prétentiout je ruse de te rfpondtel (Prous, he pushes the ange outsce, closes the dbor and leaves the stage at a et Brother Masao \slirmayod) FREREMASSEE BROTHER MASSEO Hal datout ced, que drat notre Pie, note Hal What woulc our Father, our Father Francis Pore Francois? seyaboutalthis? (te esas tothe ot. The angel wi has anained on the oad, knocks once again et the door He oct very gant bu again makes a fab nse, Qn hearing te knocker, Brot Masso has come beck nto the monastery hat) FREREMASSCE Mais, Feppe encore! {He goss tothe door ana opens it) Feberyour mon fis! Tunas guére tena compte oma egon suria maniera.ce tapper. BROTHER MASSEO But, hes stil krockirg! Good morning again, my son! You have harcly taken note of my lesson onthe way o knock. THE ANGEL gent) ‘Brother Elas Gd not want to answer me ‘Bother Bema wil ase re. May Lask Brother Berar a cuestion? BROTHER MASSEO Bo patent afew minutos, lam geng to lok for FRERE MASSEE Pronds patience qualques minutos, avai checher in (Brother aasse0 goes out and soon retums with other Berarc,) PLEASE TURN PAGES QUIETLY LANGE Diau te donne sa pats, 8 bon Frere (Bother Bamardié cain, sere.) FRERE BERNARD ue vouctu, voyager? LANGE pose une question & Frere Ei: | n'aien cela que fal quite feronde et que sts. LANGE Tu asben récondu, Perevre dons cette vo, FRERE BERNARD Puisj 8 mon tour te poser une question? Quel esttonnem? THE ANGEL ‘What dost thou want, aver? THE ANGEL | asked Brother Blas a question: ha prefered io sey nating tore. Perhaps youknow the ‘nsier? What co you thirk of Predestinaton? Have you put of the okdman, toputon there ‘nd tnd your true face, a foreseen by Godin His usta, too andhonoss, the holiness of Th? THE ANGEL “Thou hast answered wel. erseveein that path BROTHER BERNARD May! nm tun, a8 thee a question? Whats thy rane? ‘THE ANGEL gesture with his hand: the door opens ise! The Angel goes out arto the rad, towards the rift, a ho cama, appoarng to dance without touching the ground. The ago! has cieappeared. The tno Brothers have reenter! the monastery hall Brother Masseo closes the doar Me ta Brothers look at ona another) FRERE BERNARD BROTHER BERNARD FrtreMassée? Brotha: Masse0? FREREMASSEE BROTHER MASSEO Fréro Borns? Brother Board? FRERE BERNARD BROTHER BERNARD (Cet peut re un ange. Pemeps twas an ange! Cinquiéme Tableau: L’Ange musicien Scene five: The angel-musician ‘The cura ses nmodatel The same décor asin the previous soane, Sent Francis isan is kes, torte right of te stage, in ont ofthe grotto. (The chat iss, on siege when the Angel enters) SAINT FRANCIS i ul_ Be Thou prised, my Lord, of Brather Sun, who delarésurecton des rats.» Toutes css cores dont pale 'Apbire me revise Male lus encorelajla des bienheueanc 1 ‘tniiborhourda a contain, ‘Sint the ih Celghs, and peroc ey! Show me how arost isthe abundont tendemees that Thouhast reserved for those who faar Thee. (eras ofthe testa) ‘Cuamevencty, Frere geese, aucon créoareks? Wha do you want of me, Bi (he ise, saint hotoge as apple ite, oo rest pas ton heute decir. (he Angel eopears on the cad, f0 he lat. Cos of te este) PLEASE TURN PAGES QUIETLY Mon fre greppio mvappata denownes...W1 My brother Gheppiocaliame anew. he smfannonce queue chose. ‘nnounces something tome Ma pit a peut-te été entencue? Perhaps my prayers bean neon? WANGE THE ANGEL Frangoi!Frangoll Francia! Francs! (ve Angelis bathed ina glowing ght He hakds avon his et hand arcta curved bow in his right hha, He was along the roa. appearing fo dance without touching the ground. The Angetcames {to stand besize Sain Francis. To ltr recogrises him immociato) SAINT FRANCOIS. ‘SAINT FRANCIS. Pardon apie, bet Anga de Dou. Fergvemy prayer good Angel of God. LANGE THE ANGEL Deu novs dou par excée de wert La Goud dazzles us by excass of Thth. Msc caries smsique ous pore Dieu par détaut do vaste. us to God in delat of Truth, ‘Tu pales & Deu en musique: vateréponcke en Thcu speskest to Godin music: hes acne to ‘musique. Connasa jie das bienhetreuxpar answer Too in music Know thojoy af the ‘Blessed by gorlaness of colour and melody. Ard .cperad for thee the secrets of Gay music that suspends i tem tis ladders of heaven, steno temusc ofthe STouvrent pour tls secrets dela loka! Entends clte musique qu suspen lave ax Scholes ducal, entns la musique de Frvibe. (he Angel gets rea to py his vio. He begins by playing a few glssancos notes. A te ight focussed on the Angel The Ange eves fis bow fo era on he vis very sion at fst. Tho ves ployed more crass ike a voi, oF a vol, but the bow is curved. Here te sounds appears to come trem various points on th horizon. The oret resound. The Ano play vith goat oy anc more ‘quick. Grackaty night fats. Qne can no longer see the wings, the aqparl to face of th Argel, (Onis ita, tie cures bow, nef hand ane the vo aro Kgted up. The Ang es lsappearwo. Sait Francis has fen unconscious. Brother Leo enters tholef. He croesas the road, stata. and ums tonards tbe roto on the righ) FRERE LEON BROTHER LEO wi route, quand ale va mourt; —_Lamalrad en the road, when, about toc, the deperum,lafourde taré. tare fower is no longer perfumed. Behold the val \reoon, tho un, (he hats, perturbed, before San Francis who i fing unconscious. Cres of te kestrel) Hol HolFiére Messool Frére Berard Ho! Hol Brother Mastoo! Brobier Berard (Brother Bernard enc Brother Masseo appear on the fs the monastery hal) FRERE BERNARD lime eemblo entero la vok do Fre Léon. FRERE MASSEE Mol auss, FRERE BERNARD 1 a0 passe quelque chose pris de nate Pere Francais BROTHER BERNARD [thought hoard tho voi of Brother Leo. BROTHER MASSEO too BROTHER BERNARD ‘Somethings happening to cur Father Francis, (Brother Berard ana Brother dssseo come out ofthe monastery hal and go quickly towaras thegrtto) FRERE LEON Fiére Massée,Fére Serard, vewe! ven) BROTHER LEO Brother Masseo, Brother Berns, come! ome! (he tee Brothers gather huriedly rou Sant francs. hey oasen Nis coer undo ths nt of is rope gute, ant attnot 1 resusctate in) FRERE MASSE Pe Francois! LES TROIS FRERES Pre Fagot Pio Franigoisl {Saint Francis regains consciousness) SAINT FRANCOIS: Mas pettos bets, marda vos seins. Jane suis pas malade... Sulament tarassé, anéart ar cotte musique, par clta musique cist. Si Inge avi joub dave un pau plus longtemps, parintalérable doureur men dene ‘rat uité on coxpe, BROTHER MASSEO Father Francs ‘THE THREE BROTHERS Fathor Frencal Father Franciat (Saint Francis regains consciousness) SAINT FRANCIS My fits amb, thanks for your cee, Lam nota Oni overhead, dumbyouncied by that ‘muss, that heavenly musi. the Angel hac layed the iota ite longer, be Unbearable sweetness my 04 my body (ha tives Brothers apes to be ooking at someting uo inthe shy) PLEASE TUAN PAGES QUIETLY ‘Sixiome Tableau Le Préche aux oiseaux Scene six: The sermon to the birds At he Heritage of te Caroor. A sunny cose passes ove ate bidga anc contiues ke a balcony ova 2a abyss. Fang fom the tie abyss and stating its bisck and mossy ars very Nigh above tan inmense great aa, of which the ty ti leaves in bunches se to gistan in the sen. Above the stage, most book aut de hive sy he foots. of Mounts Sua ard Sa Ptr, completly covered with a groan carpet o geen oaks. Patt of ight and shade reproduc the ‘ranches and tho isaves ofthe grt green oak ona pat of he road. Sent Francs and Brothar asc20 enter They arewoarng thet hoode en that head, FRERE MASSE Pere te souens-tu du jeune homme de nous entenons dos ronrcanemerts, des roucowernents SAINT FRANCOIS. est une tours, notre seau tetera gu ra subtie, FRERE MASSEE, par un menche depodle, ‘SAINT FRANCOIS Nevis pas de note rb scsi, Fetroglocyte, FRERE MASSCE Comatn, en

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