Thaïs

About

Thaïs is a French opera based on Anatole France's novel of the same name. This three-act, seven-tableaux piece by Jules Massenet is set to a libretto by Louis Gallet. The premise of the opera is based in Egypt under the rule of the Roman Empire. It follows the story of a monk, Athanaël, who tries to convert the guileless courtesan Thaïs to Christianity. The opera debuted at Paris' Opéra Garnier in 1894, with the American soprano Sibyl Sanderson in the lead role. Often considered to have erotic undertones, Thaïs has had many controversial adaptations. The role of the female protagonist has long been famous for being difficult to sing, and only the most gifted performers get a chance to enact it. chance to perform it