Saint Francois DAssise - Volume 3, Act 2

Saint Francois D'Assise is an opera in 3 acts by Olivier Messiaen. This volume is focused on the Act II – 6. Le Prêche Aux Oiseaux which depicts a moment when he preached to the birds, in Assisi. Saint Francis gives the birds his benediction to which they answer by a Concerto.

Based on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, this opera is set in Italy and is composed as per below:

Act I:
1. La croix
2. Les laudes
3. Le baiser au lépreux

Act II
4. L’ange voyageur
5. L’ange musicien
6. Le prêche aux oiseaux

Act II
7. Les stigmates
8. La mort et la nouvelle vie

This opera was played at the Paris Opera in 1983.

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) was a French organist and composer passionate about Ornithology and one of the most important composers of his century. Inspired by Japanese music, he had a very special way of composing and his work can be identified by its complexity, its diatonic aspect, its harmony with limited transposition, its colour and its additive rhythms. He composed many works related to ornithology and birdsong, including the 'Bird Catalogue' in 7 volumes and the 'Treatise on Rhythm, Colour and Ornithology' in 7 volumes.