Overview
Synopsis
Set in the French Revolution, between the years 1789 and 1794, Poulenc’s tragic opera Dialogues des Carmélites tells the horrifying story of the martyring of the entire Carmélite order.
Blanche, the daughter of the Chevalier de la Force, has had a tremendous fright, when she was caught up in a street riot on the outskirts of Paris. Her weak temperament cannot withstand any more violence, so she seeks the peace and safety of convent life, and becomes one of the sisters at Carmel. She is warned by Mother Marie not to look for refuge at the convent, a lesson which is repeated by the newly appointed Prioress: the days of peace are over but they must continue their lives of prayer. The convent is not safe from the Revolution: the crowd are demanding the closure of all religious houses, the Chaplain has said his final mass, and Blanche’s brother has secretly visited her to say goodbye before he flees the country, Rather than leave, Mother Marie tells the nuns that they must do their duty to God, and asks them to become martyrs. Blanche flees the convent in fear for her life, but when she returns home she is too late; her father has already been taken to the guillotine. Meanwhile, her sisters have been imprisoned and are awaiting execution.
Finally, Sister Blanche regains her faith and returns to her sisters, fearlessly joining them in martyrdom. The famous final scene of this opera shows the nuns of the Carmélite order being executed one by one as they sing the Salve Regina. As each nun is guillotined, an action which is precisely written into Poulenc’s score, their voice stops singing until they are silenced completely.
Show Information
- Music
- Francis Poulenc
- Libretto
- Francis Poulenc
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Dialogues des Carmélites by Georges Bernanos
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1957
- Genres
- Historical/Biographical, Tragedy
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- French Revolution, 1789, Paris, Compiegne
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- Large
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- Ricordi/Casa Ricordi
- Ideal For
- Mostly Female Cast, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Contralto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Contralto |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
|
|
Ensemble |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
Songs
Act One
Scene One - The Library of the Marquis de la Force
‘"Où est Blanche?" (Le Chevalier, Le Marquis)
"Les soldats surviennent à temps" (Le Marquis, Le Chevalier)
"Blanche, votre frère avait grand'hâte de vous revoir" (Le Marquis, Blanche, Le Chevalier)
"Son imagination va toujours d'un extrême à l'autre" (Le Marquis, Le Chevalier, Thierry)
"Je vois qu'il n'y a heureusement rien de grave" (Le Marquis, Blanche)
"Mon pére" (Le Marquis, Blanche)
Interlude I
Scene Two - The Parlour of the Carmélites Convent
"N'allez pas croire que ce fauteuil" (La Prieure, Blanche)
"Je vois que les sévérités de notre Règle" (La Prieure, Blanche)
"Ma fille, les bonnes gens se demandent" (La Prieure, Blanche)
"Vous pleurez?" (La Prieure, Blanche)
Interlude II
Scene Three - The Workroom of the Convent
"Encore ces maudites fèves!" (Constance, Blanche)
"Vous n'avez pas honte de parler ainsi" (Blanche, Constance)
"Oh! Soeur Blanche" (Constance, Blanche)
Interlude III
Scene Four - The Infirmary
"Ayez la bonté de relever ce coussin" (La Prieure, Mère Marie)
"C'est moi qui ai introduit dans cette maison" (La Prieure, Mère Marie)
"Relevez-vous, ma fille" (La Prieure)
"Dieu se glorifie dans ses saints" (La Prieure, Blanche)
"Monsieur Javelinot, je vous prie de me donner" (La Prieure, Monsieur Javelinot, Mère Marie)
"Mère Marie de l'Incarnation!" (La Prieure, Mère Marie)
"La Révérende Mère veut que vous approchiez" (Mère Marie, La Prieure, Blanche)
**Act Two **
Scene One - The Chapel
"Qui Lazarum resuscitasti a monumento foetidum" (Constance, Blanche)
"Que faites-vous?" (Mère Marie, Blanche)
Interlude One
"Soeur Blanche, je trouve notre croix" (Constance, Blanche)
"Pensez à la mort de notre chère Mère" (Constance, Blanche)
Scene Two - The Chapter Room
"Mes chères filles" (La nouvelle Prieure)
"Mes soeurs, sa Révérence vient de vous dire" (Mère Marie, Les Religieuses, La Prieure)
Interlude Two
"Que se passe-t-il?" (La Prieure, Constance, Mère Marie)
Scene Three - The Parlour
"Pourquoi vous tenez-vous ainsi?" (Le Chevalier, Blanche)
"Dans des temps comme ceux-ci" (Le Chevalier, Blanche)
"Oh! ne me quittez pas sur un adieu de fâcherie!" (Blanche, Le Chevalier)
"Remettez-vous, Soeur Blanche" (Mère Marie, Blanche)
Scene Four - The Sacristy
"Mes chères filles" (L'Aumônier, Chorus)
"Qu'allez-vous devenir?" (Blanche, L'Aumônier, Constance, Soeur Mathilde, La Prieure, Mère Marie)
"On a tiré la clochette!" (Constance, Soeur Mathilde, L'Aumônier, Soeur Claire, Chorus, Mère Marie)
"Où sont les religieuses?" (Premier Commissaire, Mère Marie, Deuxième Commissaire)
"Mes Soeurs, notre Révérende Mère viendra bientôt" (Mère Jeanne, Blanche, Mère Marie)
Act Three
Scene One - The Chapel
"Parlez-leur, mon Père" (Mère Marie, L'Aumônier, Mère Jeanne, Soeur Mathilde)
"Il y a une seule opposition" (Mère Marie, Soeur Mathilde, Constance, L'Aumônier)
Interlude One
"Citoyennes, nous vous félicitons" (Premier Officier)
"Soeur Gérald, il faut absolument prévenir ce prêtre" (La Prieure, Mère Marie)
Scene Two - The Library
"C'est vous!" (Blanche, Mère Marie)
"Soeur Blanche de l'Agonie du Christ!" (Mère Marie, Blanche)
Interlude Two
“M’est avis que nous noe sommes point” (Premiere Vieille, Le Vieux Monsier, Deuxieme Vieille, Blance)
Scene Three - The Prison
"Mes filles, voilà que s'achève" (La Prieure, Mère Jeanne, Constance, Soeur Mathilde)
"Le Tribunal révolutionnaire" (Le Géôlier)
"Mes filles, j'ai désiré de tout mon coeur" (La Prieure)
Interlude Three
"Elles sont condamnées à mort" (L'Aumônier, Mère Marie)
Scene Four - Place de la Révolution
"Salve Regina" (La Prieure, Soeur Constance, Chorus, Mère Jeanne, Soeur Mathilde, Blanche)
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.