Messiaen's breathtakingly intense opera on the life of St Francis of Assisi stars Rod Gilfry as the charismatic visionary, beguiled by the glory of creation, yet fearful of both its imperfections and its transience. Pierre Audi's thoroughly engaging production for The Netherlands Opera brings out the naive imagery, the grandeur, and above all the vast tenderness of the resplendent score, revealed as a grandiose ritual with the meaning and purpose of life as its central theme. But the real drama of the work takes place in the orchestra. Elevated to stupendous heights by the sublimely inspired Ingo Metzmacher, The Hague Philharmonic and the Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera combine forces with a brilliant cast to produce the finest possible musical pilgrimage.
Camilla Tilling
as L'Ange
Rodney Gilfry
as Saint François
Hubert Delamboye
as Le Lépreux
Henk Neven
as Frère Léon
Tom Randle
as Frère Massée
Donald Kaasch
as Frère Élie
Armand Arapian
as Frère Bernard
Jan Willem Baljet
as Frère Sylvestre
André Morsch
as Frère Rufin
