- G erm ain . ▁ ▁The ▁scene ▁takes ▁place ▁in ▁Quebec ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 8 . ▁ ▁Several ▁fict it ious ▁characters ▁provide ▁dram atic ▁historic ▁and ▁symbol ic ▁aspects ▁to ▁the ▁opera . ▁In ▁a ▁hand written ▁note ▁d ating ▁May ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁and ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁program ▁of ▁a ▁public ▁reading ▁for ▁the ▁children ▁of ▁the ▁composer , ▁who ▁had ▁never ▁heard ▁the ▁work ▁before ▁his ▁death , ▁J .- U l ric ▁Vo yer ▁describes ▁the ▁characters ▁and ▁their ▁intr ig ues ▁thus : ▁ ▁Gem ma , ▁Dum as ’ ▁daughter ▁and ▁Raymond ’ s ▁f ian c ée , ▁symbol izes ▁the ▁image ▁of ▁France , ▁which ▁was ▁tre acher ously ▁killed ▁in ▁our ▁country . ▁( Role ▁played ▁by ▁Marie - R ose ▁Des car ries ▁in ▁Montreal ▁and ▁Quebec ) ▁▁ ▁Raymond , ▁Gem ma ' s ▁h unter ▁f ian cé , ▁symbol izes ▁the ▁suffering ▁and ▁reb elli ous ▁people , ▁who ▁swe ars ▁to ▁one ▁day ▁take ▁reven ge . ▁( Role ▁played ▁by ▁P . ▁Tro tt ier ▁in ▁Montreal ▁and ▁Quebec ) ▁▁ ▁Gast on ▁de ▁St - G erm ain , ▁mar quis , ▁plays ▁the ▁dign ified ▁representative ▁of ▁the ▁nob ility . ▁( Role ▁played ▁by ▁Charles - E . ▁Bro de ur ▁in ▁Montreal ▁and ▁Paul ▁Tro tt ier ▁in ▁Quebec ) ▁▁ ▁Dum as , ▁Gem ma ’ s ▁father , ▁symbol izes ▁the ▁opp ress