Obsessed with rememberances of a courtesan in Alexandria, the most rigorous ascetic vows to purge his thoughts by returning and not only converting the woman to Christianity, but by having her dedicate her life to a convent. Surprisingly, he succeeds in the conversion, but as the two travel to the convent, the monk finds himself picking apart his own vows, eventually concluding -- too late -- that religious fervor is a pale comparison to true connection with other humans. Thaïs never made it into the international opera repertoire, presumably because the two main roles demand something almost superhuman from the singers. This particular staging, condensing the revised 1898 version, uses uncluttered scenography and angelic costumes on the performers.