First performed at the Paris Opéra in 1880, Jules Massenet’s La Vierge (“The Virgin”) is a légende sacrée, a sacred oratorio in four scenes recounting the story of the Virgin Mary from the Annunciation to her death. In the first scene, the Angel Gabriel visits Mary and tells her that she will bear a son, Jesus. The second scene takes place at the Wedding at Cana, when Jesus turns water into wine, and the third on Good Friday, when Jesus is crucified. In the final scene, Mary dies and is taken into Heaven (the Assumption). While performances of the complete oratorio are rare, the orchestral interlude Le dernier sommeil de la Vierge (“The Last Sleep of the Virgin”) has achieved enduring popularity as a staple in holiday concerts. Massenet uses his profound gifts for melody and transparent orchestration to illustrate Mary’s passing with profound serenity, evoking devotion and transcendence rather than grief.