had several periods of ill-health, and Messiaen once again doubted that he would finish according to plan. Messiaen began to suffer from depression, and by December 1981 he felt unable to go on. However, his doctor advised him to take daily walks to increase his well-being and he began to attend evening mass at the Sacre Coeur. This encouraged Messiaen to go on to complete the work. Completing it had left its mark on him, and he was convinced it would be his last composition. Libretto For maximum artistic freedom, Messiaen penned both libretto and score. For nearly eight years, the composer consulted Franciscan sources, reading biographies by Thomas of Celano and St. Bonaventure, as well as Francis' own prayers (including Canticle of the Sun). He also cited passages from the Fioretti, Considerations on the Stigmata and the Bible. The libretto is in French. In order to focus on the progress of grace in Francis's soul after his conversion, Messiaen omitted certain episodes in Francis's life, including the often-romanticised relationship between Francis and St Clare, and the fable of his taming of a wild wolf at Gubbio. Critics later chastised Messiaen for beginning the action after Francis's conversion. The composer defended his choice in an interview with Claude Samuel: "Some people have told me, 'There's no sin in your work.' But I myself feel sin isn't interesting, dirt isn't interesting. I prefer flowers. I left out sin." The opera's eight scenes, divided into three acts, delineate Francis's spiritual development. Act One contains scenes in which he realizes his goals: "La Croix" (The Cross), "Les Laudes" (Lauds) and "Le Baiser au Lépreux" (The Kissing of the Leper). Act Two shows Francis's journey towards enlightenment, ministry, and divinity: "L’Ange voyageur" (The Journeying Angel), "L’Ange musicien" (The Angel Musician) and "Le Prêche aux oiseaux" (The Sermon to the Birds). The scenes of Act Three explore the saint's approach to divinity and his entrance into eternity: "Les Stigmates" (The Stigmata) and "La Mort et la Nouvelle Vie" (Death and the New Life). Performance history After the 1983 world premiere at the Palais Garnier, Saint François was not staged for almost a decade. The opera was presented on stage again by the 1992 Salzburg Festival (at the Felsenreitschule), directed by Peter Sellars with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the orchestra pit. This production was revived in 1998, again at the Salzburg Festival.