the chapel The painter and sculptor monks admire their newly completed statue of the Virgin. As Jean enters the former hides behind a pillar, and watches as the juggler takes his habit off and puts his old street clothes on, at which the hidden monk goes to warn the prior. Playing his hurdy-gurdy, he dances, until the other monks enter, horrified, and are about to seize Jean to reprimand him for blasphemy. Boniface stops them as the statue of the Virgin comes to life, holds out her arms and blesses Jean. Jean falls to his knees as a heavenly light glows from the altar the Virgin ascends to Heaven. As the prior sings the words Massenet placed at the top of his score "Heureux les simples, car ils verront Dieu" (Blessed are the poor in spirit for they will find God), Jean dies, and the other monks, and angels, sing Amen. Recordings Soulacroix recorded the Prieur's air, which he created, for Pathé in 1902/1903. Mary Garden, David Devriès, Marcel Claudel and Géori Boué popularized the aria "Ô liberté, ma mie". The 'Légende de la sauge' for Boniface has been recorded many times, singers including Paolo Ananian in 1907, Antonio Magini-Coletti in 1909 in Italian, Louis Dupuoy (as Jean Duez) in 1910, Édouard Rouard in 1921, Giuseppe Danise in 1926, Lucien Fugère in 1928, Étienne Billot in 1928, Vanni Marcoux in 1930, Roger Bourdin in 1933 and Michel Dens in 1947. There have been two complete studio recordings: 1978: Alain Vanzo (Jean), Jules Bastin (Boniface), Marc Vento (le Prieur); Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Roger Boutry (EMI-Pathé) 2007: Roberto Alagna (Jean), Stefano Antonucci (Boniface), Francesco Ellero d’Artegna (le Prieur). Orchestre National de Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon, Enrique Diemecke (DG) References Works cited External links Opera libretto Operas Operas by Jules Massenet French-language operas 1902 operas Opera world premieres at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo