If people know Jules Massenet’s 1894 “Thaïs” at all, it’s for the violin interlude “Meditation” that’s a staple at pops concerts and weddings.
But the Manhattan School of Music’s charming production Wednesday revealed a ravishing opera surrounding that sentimental solo.
It’s a melodramatic tale of the glamorous courtesan Thaïs and the fanatical monk Athanaël, who’s determined to save her soul. Only when she’s dying in a convent does the sexy sinner find God — just as the monk realizes he’s always loved her.
For his leading lady, the composer devised coolly elegant melodies, as if she were being glimpsed through a veil. Leela Subramaniam’s silvery soprano proved an ideal fit for all but the most dramatic outbursts, and her sultry pout was worthy of the young Madonna.
Even stronger was Yunpeng Wang in the long, demanding role of Athanaël. His baritone isn’t king-size, but it’s perfectly focused and precisely in tune. Tall and handsome, he acted the character’s torment boldly.
The large ensemble cast boasted healthy young voices who put across every word of the French libretto with pristine clarity. Standouts were the bright tenor of Aaron Short as Thaïs’ sugar daddy Nicias and the richly colored mezzo of Raehann Bryce-Davis as the kindly nun Albine.
As Palémon, LaMarcus Miller sounded miscast, his sweet lyric bass lacking the gravitas for this low-lying role.
The staging lived up to the production’s high standards in glitzy sets and costumes by André Barbe, depicting the decadent night life of Alexandria in 400 A.D. as a cross between “Fellini Satyricon” and a campy Vegas floor show.
The courtesan’s entourage included dancing girls in filmy harem pants and bedazzled Afro wigs, and the hunky chorus boys pranced about in velour leggings, codpieces and nipple ornaments.
When the wispy drama turned serious, director Renaud Doucet added a dollop of schmaltz, staging the heroine’s ascent to heaven with a stage elevator and clouds of billowing silk.
Flawless, relaxed conducting by George Manahan served as a bittersweet reminder of how the maestro was once the backbone of the New York City Opera.
And the “Meditation”? Well, when violinist Christina Bouey spun out that shimmering tune, I thought I died and went to a heaven designed and directed by Cecil B. DeMille.