SYNOPSIS

Act One

An outer courtyard of Herod’s palace

CD 1

[1] It is dawn. Merchants who have arrived from distant towns are preparing for the day. Discovering that they are from different tribes‚ they begin to heap abuse on each other’s heads. [3] The dispute threatens to turn into a brawl‚ but the Chaldean Phanuel succeeds in calming the disputants and exhorts them to make common cause against their enemy: the revolt that will liberate Judaea from Roman oppression and ensure them a better future is at hand. [4] Salome enters from the palace. Phanuel alone knows that she is Herodias’s daughter and is as surprised as he is concerned to find her here. She tells Phanuel of her constant but futile search for the mother whom she has never known and of the comfort afforded her in her loneliness by the prophet’s (John the Baptist) words. She has fallen in love with him and followed him to Jerusalem (aria: “Il est doux‚ il est bon”). [6] She leaves‚ and dancers from the tetrarch’s court enter the courtyard from the gardens. They make their way to the palace‚ from where Herod now appears. [7] Not finding Salome among them‚ in words imbued with a sense of elation‚ he admits the strength of his feelings for her whose beauty fascinates him. [8] At this point Herodias enters‚ still suffering from the shock of some violent emotion. It transpires that she has just been publicly insulted by the prophet‚ who has called her “Jezebel” and issued clear threats against her. In her desire to be avenged‚ she demands the prophet’s head‚ but the tetrarch refuses‚ invoking the powerful charisma of the Baptist‚ whom the Jews revere and who has comforted them in their time of need. At the same time‚ however‚ Herod hopes to be able to use the prophet as an ally in his attempt to cast off the Roman yoke. Beside herself with rage‚ Herodias declares that she will carry out her resolve herself. [9] Even as she speaks‚ the Baptist appears in person. His curse (“None will ever take pity on your affliction!”) fills her with terror‚ and she rushes into the palace‚ followed by the equally horrified Herod. [10] Salome returns and confesses her love for the prophet‚ who is moved by her youthful innocence and‚ adopting a benevolent tone‚ attempts to persuade her to sublimate her desire. He looks forward to the birth of a new faith‚ which he hails as the “dawn of life and immortality”‚ and entreats her to turn her thoughts to heaven. He frees himself from her embrace as‚ overcorne with ecstatic desire‚ she falls to her knees.

Act Two

First Tableau: Herod’s bedchamber

[11] Reclining on his couch‚ Herod cannot sleep. He orders his slaves to dance for him in order to remind him of Salome‚ the memory of whom continues to haunt him (“Vision fugitive”). [13] One of them suggests that he drink a potion that has the power to conjure up a vision of the object of his desire. [14] The philtre produces a delirious vision of Salome‚ whom he begs to yield to his desire. [15] The arrival of Phanuel brings him back to cold reality. The tetrarch begs the Chaldean to cure him of his love‚ but the latter merely reproaches him for his weakness at a time when his kingdom is in danger. Herod‚ however‚ is confident of victory thanks to the alliance that he has formed with neighbouring tribes‚ who are similarly subject to Rome: the empire’s hated rule will soon be over.

Second Tableau: the Xyste‚ a public square of Jerusalem‚ at dusk

[17] Herod addresses his people and exhorts them to rise up against the Roman invader. The crowd promises to follow him into the jaws of death itself‚ and messengers from the various tribes assure him of their support. [19] As the crowd’s revolutionary frenzy reaches its height‚ Herodias bids them lend an ear to the fanfares proclaiming the arrival of the Roman proconsul Vitellius‚ who has come to enquire after the people’s wishes. The crowd demands that Rome hand back the Temple of Israel and respect the High Priest at the altar. Vitellius promises that Tiberius will heed this legitimate request. Convinced that Rome is on their side‚ the crowd acclaims the proconsul and his soldiers. [22] The Baptist now appears‚ followed by Salome and a group of Canaanite women. Seeing Salome among them‚ Herod points her out to Phanuel. [23] Herodias has noticed her husband’s agitation and‚ when Vitellius questions her about the prophet‚ she seizes her chance to be avenged and describes John as a madman who dreams of power. On the proconsul’s orders‚ the lictors seize the Baptist‚ who calmly exclaims: “All justice comes from heaven!”

Act Three

First Tableau: Phanuel’s dwelling

CD 2

[1] Phanuel is sunk in contemplation of the night sky and asks the stars to reveal the prophet’s true nature: is he human or divine? [2] He is interrupted in his meditations by the sudden arrival of Herodias who‚ consumed by jealousy‚ demands that he show her the star that controls the fate of the woman who has robbed her of the king’s love: only her lost child could end her suffering. But‚ seized by a vague presentiment‚ the queen denies the truth at the very moment that Phanuel reveals it: she refuses to recognize her lost daughter in Salome‚ who is no more than a rival in her sight. Indignantly‚ Phanuel sends her on her way with a curse: “Go! You are but a woman! A mother‚ never!”

Second Tableau: the holy temple

[4] Salome enters. After a sleepless night‚ she can scarcely support herself. From the palace comes the sound of singing in praise of the royal couple. Salome prays to God to save the Baptist‚ who is immured in a vault. She collapses‚ exhausted‚ as Herod enters. 7 Rejecting his advances‚ she provokes his anger when she admits that she loves another‚ “stronger than Caesar‚ greater than the heroes”. Herod threatens to have her put to death‚ together with her mysterious lover.

[9] The populace arrives to attend the unveiling of the Holy of Holies and is followed into the temple by Herodias‚ Phanuel‚ Vitellius and the Romans. The priests demand the death of John the Baptist‚ whom they accuse of stirring up trouble. [14] He is brought in to face Herod who‚ still hoping to use him for his own ends‚ declares his readiness to question him. In this way he answers the pressing injunctions of the priests by saying that a madman cannot be condemned. He takes advantage of a momentary disturbance in the crowd to promise the Baptist that he will save him if he agrees to serve his ends. The prophet haughtily rejects this suggestion. [15] Salome now emerges from the crowd and throws herself in front of John just as the temple guards are preparing to seize him. She demands to share his fate. [17] Herod now realizes that the prophet is his rival and‚ in his desire for vengeance‚ pronounces a double sentence of death on “Salome‚ the courtesan” and her “odious lover”

Act Four

First Tableau: a vault in the temple

[18] Alone in the dark‚ John exults in the imminent prospect of martyrdom. Quitting this earth without regret‚ he none the less recalls “that child whose radiant features are always present before my eyes” and grows pensive. Doubts begin to assail him and he asks God whether he has really been chosen by Him or whether he is simply a man like any other. [19] Salome enters. John does not spurn her‚ since death will transfigure their love “in the sky‚ shining with light”. [21] But then the High Priest arrives to take John to be executed. Although Salome puts up fierce resistance‚ she is separated from the Baptist after having been pardoned by Herod at the very last moment.

Second Tableau: the banqueting hall in the proconsul’s palace

[22] The Romans are celebrating their victory and the glory of their empire. The festivities are in full swing‚ as Herod‚ Herodias and Vitellius enter the hall‚ followed shortly by Phanuel. [25] Salome tears herself away from her guards and begs for mercy for the Baptist: he had welcomed her and comforted her in her distress when she was abandoned “for an infamous hymen” by her inhuman mother. [26] Salome’s tears assuage Herodias’s anger and the latter is on the point of acknowledging her daughter and acceding to Salome’s insistent entreaties when the executioner appears with his sword dripping with the Baptist’s blood. Salome throws herself at Herodias‚ fully intending to kill the woman who has caused the prophet’s death‚ but Herodias begs for mercy and reveals that she is her mother. Salome turns the blade upon herself and dies in full view of the horrified onlookers.

Jacques Fournier
Translation © 1995 Stewart Spencer