Le Mage

Le Mage ("the Magus") is an opera in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Jean Richepin. It was first performed at the Paris Opéra in Paris on 16 March 1891 in costumes by Charles Bianchini and sets by Auguste Alfred Rubé, Philippe Chaperon and Marcel Jambon (Act I), Amable and Eugène Gardy (Act II), Alfred Lemeunier (Act III), and Jean-Baptiste Lavastre and Eugène Carpezat (Acts IV and V).

Since its premiere run of 31 performances Le Mage has been rarely performed (it was seen in The Hague in 1896), and it is one of Massenet's least known operas. However, it falls squarely in the middle of his most productive period. A rare complete concert performance took place in Saint-Étienne in 2012.

One writer described Zarastra as "one of the most fiendish roles Massenet ever conceived for tenor", adding that the composer "covers all the ground required by a commission from the Opéra, with solos and ensembles, a ballet and spectacular scenic effects. The massive concertato that concludes the second act shows that the composer could still encompass the grand manner, while the duet for Varedha and Amrou, with its Verdian colouring, must have been a real crowd-pleaser".

At dawn in the camp of the Persian general Zarastra

Zarastra has just defeated the Turanians. Amrou, Persian high priest to the Daevas (the supposed gods of pre-Zoroastrian Persia), enters with his daughter, Varedha, priestess of Djahi, goddess of love. Varedha declares her love for Zarastra. He however loves the captive Turanian queen, Anahita; she is in love with him but rejects him rather than betray her countrymen.

Scene 1: In a subterranean chamber in the Djahi temple

Amrou enters looking for Varedha, and promises vengeance on Zarastra for spurning his daughter.

Scene 2: In the square of Balzhdi