Grisélidis

Conte lyrique in three acts and a prologue. Libretto by Armand Silvestre and Eugène Morand. Music by Jules Massenet. Created at the Opéra-Comique, Paris, 20 November 1901.

Synopsis

Prologue 

The action is set in fourteenth-century Provence. 

Alain, a shepherd, is waiting in the forest to meet Grisélidis, with whom he is in love and whose beauty he praises enthusiastically. Enter the Marquis, who has caught a glimpse of the chaste maiden while hunting. She appears in her turn, and the Marquis, overcome by the sight of her, immediately asks her if she will be his wife. She modestly replies that she is his servant and cannot but obey him. The Marquis has her led to the castle, while Alain despairs.

Act one 

Four years later, in the castle chapel.

The Marquis is about to set out for the Holy Land to fight the infidels, leaving his wife and son in the care of the Prior. The latter expresses doubts about the fidelity of women when their husbands are away. The Marquis replies that he does not fear for Grisélidis’s constancy, even if the Devil himself were to try to seduce her... At that moment, the Devil appears in person, leaping down from the triptych above the altar where Saint Agnes has kept him at bay until now. Cheerful in mood but none the less formidable for that, he taunts the Marquis for being so trusting, assuring him that there is no woman who is not ready to sin. He agrees on a wager with the Marquis, who challenges him to make Grisélidis yield her virtue and, to demonstrate his confidence in his wife, gives the demon his wedding ring as a pledge. Once the Devil has gone, the Marquis bids farewell to Grisélidis, kisses his child, and rides off with his knights.

Act two 

A terrace in front of the castle.

The Devil and his wife Fiamina quarrel, but are eventually reconciled. They join forces against Grisélidis and rejoice at the thought of the harm they are about to inflict on her. The pair introduce themselves to her as arriving from the Orient with news of the Marquis. She trembles with happiness, but her joy is short-lived when she is told that the woman accompanying the sham Oriental is a slave purchased by the Marquis, who is to marry her on his return. Grisélidis, unable to believe this, asks for proof of the claim and the Devil presents her with her husband’s wedding ring. The Marquis has supposedly decreed that everyone is to obey the former slave, who will be mistress of the castle. After a moment of revolt, the unfortunate Grisélidis submits to what she believes to be her husband’s will. This does not please the Devil, who had been expecting to unleash the fury of a betrayed wife. He tries another ruse to achieve his object by provoking a meeting between Grisélidis and Alain, hoping this time that the memory of their mutual love will make her break her marriage vows. But his efforts are in vain. Despite the traps he has set her, the mere thought of her child saves Grisélidis from temptation. Alain runs off in despair and the Devil takes his revenge by snatching Griselda’s son from her and carrying him off.

Act three 

The castle chapel.

Grieving over the loss of her son, Grisélidis comes to pray to Saint Agnes, begging her to restore her child. But, in what seems an evil omen, the statue of the saint has disappeared from the altar. Then, in a new disguise, the Devil comes to tempt Grisélidis once again, giving her hope of finding her child: he claims the boy has been kidnapped by a pirate who is smitten with her and who now demands a kiss in return for giving him back to his mother. She consents to this, but takes a dagger with her as a precaution. As she leaves, the Marquis returns and is surprised not to find Grisélidis. The Devil, still in disguise, suggests that she may have been unfaithful to the Marquis while he was away, thus sowing suspicion in his mind. Through the window, the Marquis sees Grisélidis approaching a young sailor. But he notices his own ring on the finger of this stranger, and recognises the Devil. All the same, what if the villain were telling the truth? He is still a prey to doubt when Grisélidis reappears, overcome with joy at finding her husband, and easily succeeds in proving her innocence. But she tells him that their child has been abducted. The Marquis is furious and searches in vain for a weapon. Prayer is his only means of warding off the evil spirit. He throws himself on his knees with his wife before the triptych, and they both pray fervently. Soon the cross in front of the altar is transformed into a flaming sword, which the Marquis seizes. Then, of their own accord, all the candles in the oratory light up and all the bells of the countryside peal for joy; the whole oratory blazes with light, and suddenly the triptych opens with a crash, revealing Saint Agnes on her pedestal, now holding the child. The people of the castle, who have rushed to the scene, stand motionless on the threshold, hands joined in ecstatic prayer.