Photo Journal and Q&A: ThaÇs, with Ren_e Fleming and Thomas Hampson, at the Met | Playbill

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Classic Arts Features Photo Journal and Q&A: ThaÇs, with Ren_e Fleming and Thomas Hampson, at the Met Ren_e Fleming is currently starring as the Egyptian courtesan ThaÇs. This new production by John Cox marks the first time Massenet's work has been seen at the Met in three decades. Here, Fleming shares her thoughts on the role with Matt Dobkin.


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You're known as one of the great interpreters of ThaÇs. What draws you to this character?

ThaÇs is one of the iconic roles in the soprano literature and the most musically glamorous role I sing. This opera uses every single vocal mechanism in the entire soprano lexicon, from full-bodied lyricism to high pianissimo singing... Every three pages there's some effect that sounds terrifying and risky and difficult : and it is : but it's worthwhile, and the role fits me in terms of vocal weight and tessitura.

The best roles are the ones that are interesting and challenging dramatically as well. ThaÇs is one of perhaps four roles in my entire repertoire that could have been written for me.


What makes it such a good fit?

It's the tessitura. ThaÇs is high-flying, but the general tessitura is very much middle-voice. That's the key for me. The Massenet roles really want a full lyric voice in addition to lighter qualities. Anything heavier, for me, weighs the voice too much, which is also very much dependent on the orchestration.


ThaÇs is not just a vocal showpiece. From an acting standpoint, it's an interesting psychological study as well.

She is such a modern figure. One of the things that's important to understand is that the word "courtesan," particularly in the time that Massenet was writing, had completely different : and much more positive : connotations than it does today, more kept woman than prostitute. There's a fantastic book by Joanna Richardson called The Courtesans: The Demimonde in 19th Century France. It's a profile of all of the top courtesans of that time, and what you realize is each of these women, if they were lucky and financially savvy and healthy, then they had fascinating lives. They were completely independent, unlike married women, and could surround themselves with the greatest artists and minds of the day.

ThaÇs is also a great actress and performer, a star, which is precisely why AthanaêŠl wants to convert her. So she is a wonderful character to play both in her outward confidence and in the way she uses her seductive gifts to rule her world. But she is also incredibly lonely. She sees very much in her future that once her beauty fades, she will have no value anymore in society, and she's desperately looking for more. That quest for a spiritual life beyond passing physical beauty relates to us today: it has related to people in all times.


ThaÇs has not been heard at the Met since Beverly Sills starred in the title role in 1978. Why?

It's rarely performed because it's impossible to cast. If my role is difficult, AthanaêŠl is twice as hard. It's long, it's heavy: extremely challenging. And then there's the legend going back to the original ThaÇs, Sybil Sanderson, experiencing a costume malfunction in her dress rehearsal, when her top fell off : which may or may not have been planned. There have been other recent productions where the scandal of what somebody wears : or more importantly doesn't wear : becomes more of a focus than the actual theatrical or musical values of the show. So ThaÇs has some baggage.


Do you enjoy doing research into the history of a piece?

I love it! I wish I could do more, because it really does teach you a lot. The history of Sanderson and Massenet is so interesting. I have the first edition of this opera, and the vocal writing is completely different. It's quite staid and simple and not very high. But Massenet fell in love with Sanderson : or was infatuated with her, obsessed with her : and she helped him forge a much more agile, exciting vocal line in what became a completely different score. She was his muse.

What's interesting is when Sanderson made her debut at the Met in Manon, it was an absolute disaster. The reviews were all terrible. The critics said, "How on earth was she famous?" They thought her voice was too small, it had no color, her acting was fake. But she's this historic figure who actually inspired several roles I sing. She completely changed the way Massenet wrote for the voice. It's fascinating to read about these collaborations.


Sills, Sanderson: are you inspired by legendary singers?

I connect very much to singers of the past. It makes me feel that I belong to a tradition. I don't think one could get decades of pleasure doing what I do if you didn't really want to be connected to this network of great singers who've come before.


Fleming shares the stage with Thomas Hampson as AthanaêŠl and Michael Schade as Nicias. Jes‹s L‹pez-Cobos conducts John Cox's production, featuring new costumes for Fleming by designer Christian Lacroix. Duane Schuler is the lighting designer, and Sara Jo Slate makes her Met debut as choreographer.

Set in Hellenistic Egypt, ThaÇs is the story of an ascetic monk, AthanaêŠl (Hampson), who convinces the beautiful courtesan ThaÇs (Fleming) to dedicate her life to God, only to find himself tormented by his attraction to her.

Composed by Massenet as a star vehicle for the beautiful American soprano Sybil Sanderson, ThaÇs was first staged at the Met for the legendary divas Geraldine Farrar in 1917 and Maria Jeritza in 1922, both of whom were idolized by the public as much for their physical allure as for their singing. The 1939 revival featured Helen Jepson and Marjorie Lawrence alternately in the title role, with John Charles Thomas and John Brownlee as AthanaêŠl. The opera was last seen at the Met in 1978 in a new production starring Beverly Sills in the title role and Sherrill Milnes as AthanaêŠl.

ThaÇs began performances at the Met Dec. 8 and was broadcast to movie screens around the globe as part of The Met: Live in HD on Dec. 20.

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There are six remaining performances of ThaÇs: Dec. 23, 27 and 30 and Jan. 2, 5 and 8. All will have an 8 PM curtain.

For tickets and information, visit The Metropolitan Opera.

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All photos by Ken Howard for the Metropolitan Opera.

Ren_e Fleming as ThaÇs
Ren_e Fleming as ThaÇs and Thomas Hampson as AthanaêŠl

Alyson Cambridge as Crobyle, Thomas Hampson as AthanaêŠl and Ginger Costa-Jackson as Myratale

A scene from Act I

Ren_e Fleming

Michael Schade as Nicias and Ren_e Fleming as ThaÇs
Thomas Hampson

Thomas Hampson and Ren_e Fleming

Thomas Hampson and Ren_e Fleming

Thomas Hampson

A scene from Act II, with Zahra Hashemian (center) as the solo dancer

Ren_e Fleming
Michael Schade and Thomas Hampson

Ren_e Fleming and Michael Schade

A scene from Act III

 
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