The Maid of Orleans

In the square in front of the church village girls decorate an oak and sing songs. Peasant Thibaut of Arc is annoyed by their levity at such a terrible time for the fatherland. He is concerned about the fate of his daughter, Joan who is seventeen, and wants her to marry Raymond, to protect her from danger. But Joan feels another calling. An alarm sounds announcing the fall of Paris and the siege of Orleans. In a panic, the citizens pray for salvation; inspired, Joan predicts imminent victory. The girl says goodbye to her birthplace, hearing voices of angels blessing her heroic endeavor. In Château de Chinon the king is being entertained forgetting his duty with his beloved Agnès Sorel. Minstrels, pages, gypsies, clowns follow each other. The king is paralyzed by inaction. Neither the appearance of Knight Lauret, mortally wounded in the battle, nor the resignation of courageous Knight Dunois, who leaves to fight with honor ("I'm sorry! Monarch we do not have, I am not your servant any more…") can shake the king's decision to flee. The archbishop suddenly appears; courtiers and people tell the king about the rout of the British, the French victory, and the "glorious Maiden" who inspired the soldiers. Joan tells the astonished audience about the vision she had telling her to lead the fight. A vow of virginity was a condition of that victory. On the orders of king, Joan is put in command of the army. Tableau 1 and Tableau 2 Scene 1 Deep in the woods Joan fights Knight Lionel of…

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