La Vierge
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La Vierge is an oratorio in four scenes by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Charles Grandmougin. It was first performed at the Opéra in Paris on May 22, 1880.
The oratorio is a recounting of the story of The Virgin Mary from the Annunciation to her death. In the first scene, Mary is visited by the Angel Gabriel and told that she will bear a son, Jesus. The second scene takes place at the Marriage at Cana where Jesus turns water to wine, and the third on Good Friday when Jesus is crucified. The fourth scene relates the Assumption, Mary's ascension to heaven.
La Vierge enjoyed modest popularity in its day but is rarely performed today. There is a commercial recording available (Koch Swann), and the famous soprano Montserrat Caballé has revived the piece in concert in recent years.
