Thaïs

Set in fourth-century Egypt, Jules Massenet's lushly exotic 1894 opera revolves around a monk named Athanaël, who convinces Thaïs, Alexandria's most famous courtesan, to abandon her loose life and become a nun. In the process Athanaël becomes obsessed with Thaïs, ultimately returning to the convent only to find her on her deathbed, where she thanks him for saving her soul while he despairs over his lust. Some composers might have employed the tale for serious reflection on physical and spiritual love, but Massenet used it as a springboard for soaring melodies (like Act Two's “Méditation,” a concert staple) and rich scoring. This 2008 staging from the Teatro Regio in Turin is flawed but noteworthy. Under Gianandrea Noseda's baton, the orchestra is fervent, if not impeccable. The singing varies, with the most reliable sound coming from Lado Ataneli, vocally stirring as Athanaël; in contrast, Barbara Frittoli's Thaïs, for the most part resplendent, grows wobbly in the upper registers, and tenor Alessandro Liberatore sings with an unflatteringly nasal tone as the libertine Nicias. And while Stefano Poda's sets and costumes are appropriately opulent, his choreography of the ballet interludes is almost comic, and his staging of the arias and duets is staid, often requiring the principals to simply strike a pose while delivering the notes. The result is a production that is uneven but still retains much of the flavor of Massenet's flamboyant score, presented with Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, and PCM stereo options on the DVD version and DTS-HD 7.1 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray. Recommended, overall. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)