Thaïs: Méditation

The thrillingly illicit mixture of sex and religion which inspires des Grieux’s aria “Ah, fuyez, douce image” in Massenet’s Manon is projected on a large scale in Thaïs, which is all about a courtesan who dies a saint. The Méditation, a lovely example of Massenet’s gift for effortless extended melody and one of the most treasured of all violin solos, marks the moment in the opera where Thaïs repents her sins and turns to God.