Olivier Messiaen

Saint Francois D'Assise Vol. 4

Saint Francis of Assisi is an Opera in three acts by Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992). Written in 1972 to 1983, it concerns the Catholic preacher, Saint Francis of Assisi, and displays the composer's devout Catholic faith. The thirdvolume contains the complete third act of the Opera, comprising the final two scenes - Stigma, and Death and New Life. Despite his studies of Mozart and Wagner's operas, Messiaen vowed that he would never compose one himself, however, he was eventually convinced by the French president. After feeling unworthy to dramatise either Christ's Passion or Resurrection, he eventually chose to portray the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, whose life oftenreflected Christ's chastity, humility, poverty and suffering. This unique Opera by the individual Messiaen is a significant contribution to the repertoire, and was notably semi-staged as part of the BBC proms series in 2008.