Synopsis Act One Clagny, near Versailles, France. October 1792. André Thorel and his wife Thérèse have recently bought the chateau at auction after the flight of the owner, Armand, Marquis de Clerval. André’s father was the marquis’ steward and André and Armand have had a close friendship since their childhood. Armand feels his divided loyalties keenly, because he is a man of the people and a Girondist revolutionary representative, but he honours his friendship and sympathises with Armand’s plight. He had, in fact, bought the chateau in order one day to return it to Armand. Unbeknownst to André, his wife had formerly loved Armand, and her feelings toward her husband are more of kindness and duty than passionate love. Thérèse tells André of her fears that his duties as a Girondist representative, a moderate
political group, may cause him to fall victim to the fury of the revolutionaries. André suspects that Thérèse is unhappy about something else, but she says that she could not be so ungrateful as not to love him, and her duty is to ensure his happiness. He tells her that she is the source of his happiness and that he desires only to die for his country or to live by her side. Left alone, Thérèse recalls her love for Armand and their farewell the previous summer before he fled France. Armand appears, still in love with Thérèse, and tries to persuade her to rekindle their love. She rebuffs him, for she owes everything to her husband and her duty is to him. André welcomes his old friend Armand and offers to conceal him in his house.
Act Two Paris, June 1793. The political situation has become much worse and Thérèse is deeply affected by having to live amongst such horror. King Louis XVI was executed five months earlier and the Girondists are falling out of favour; increasing numbers of people are being tried by the revolutionary court and sentenced to death. André continues to protect Armand and secures a safe conduct pass for him so he can leave the country. André joins the Girondists in the street and Armand tries to persuade Thérèse to
leave with him. She hesitates but finally agrees to his entreaties. Then comes news that André has been arrested and sentenced to death. Thérèse sees her husband in the tumbril on the way to the guillotine and tells Armand that she will join him shortly. Determined to remain true to her sense of duty to her husband, she deliberately cries out ‘Vive le roi’, which of course infuriates the revolutionaries. They arrest her and she is taken with her husband to be executed.
Thérèse
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