Note: This synopsis reflects the changes made to the libretto since the first production in Dallas and the subsequent CD recording. While the changes are relatively minor, Mme. Raquin comes across much more the wicked stepmother than she does in either the novel or the original libretto.
ACT 1, Scene 1: The Raquin's Apartment
Madame Raquin calls to Thérèse, her niece and daughter-in-law,
scolding her for being so slow with the laundry. She then orders her to scrub
the floor. When her son, Camille, returns from work, he announces that his friend,
co-worker and would-be artist, Laurent, is coming soon to finish his portrait.
To cover the fact that she is having an affair with him, Thérèse
pretends not to like Laurent. Camille wishes he could go for a walk along the
River Seine on Sunday; Laurent has told him how beautiful it is (Laurent
says the Seine moves like a melody).
Laurent appears with a bouquet of lilacs for Mme. Raquin and a single rose for Thérèse, who complains about the thorns. Madame leaves. As Camille poses for his portrait, the men speak about the office, and Laurent describes an erotic encounter with an unknown young woman (She watched me painting along the Seine). When the portrait is finished, Camille is enthusiastic over what is, in reality, a sorry daub. He leaves to get some champagne so all can celebrate its completion during the upcoming Thursday evening dominos game.
Left alone, Thérèse and Laurent go up to the bedroom. Laurent warns her to be quiet so that Madame can not hear them, but Thérèse refuses to be afraid. She tells how her father abandoned her with her aunt when she was just three. She was brought up as a servant and told to marry her cousin, Camille (When we were little children). To protect herself, she has learned how to be a good liar. They make love.
Scene 2: The haberdashery shop below the apartment, the following Thursday
Madame Raquin and Suzanne, the wife of a policeman, Olivier, are sewing. They
recall Suzanne's wedding and speak of her regrets that she has had no children
(I remember). Thérèse enters and is scolded for forgetting
to get glasses for the champagne. Olivier appears and is told about the celebration
marking the completion of Camille's portrait. When the older Grivet and Laurent
enter, the customary Thursday night domino party is complete. Grivet describes
the finding of a dismembered body of a young woman, and they decide guilt and
innocence can not be determined just by looking at a person. As all drink a
toast to Laurent and the finished portrait (We'll recall when years have
passed), he manages to tell Thérèse that he can no longer
keep their afternoons trysts; his boss has threatened to fire him. They resolve
to keep meeting somehow.
Scene 3: The banks of the Seine
After a long walk, Thérèse and Camille are
resting as Laurent wades in the river (We must have walked three miles or
more). As Camille sleeps, Laurent and Thérèse talk of their
love (You were with me in my dreams). They resolve to do anythin g it
takes so they can be together. Laurent wakes Camille and suggests they hire
a boat and go for a row on the river. Camille is eager to go and tells a nervous
Thérèse not to be afraid. Laurent rows the boat to the middle
of the river, picks up Camille, who cannot swim, and throws him in the water,
drowning him. During his struggles, Camille manages to bite Laurent in the neck.
ACT II, Scene 1: The apartment, eleven months later.
The usual dominos game is in progress. Laurent pretends his conscience still
troubles him. It was his idea to go boating; if only he could find a cure for
Thérèse's sorrow over the loss of her husband. The others comfort
him, reminding him that he had 'saved' Thérèse from drowning.
They then decide she needs a husband; Laurent is the perfect choice. She will
love him as she had Camille, and they will have children to comfort Madame in
her old age.
Scene 2: The bedroom, the wedding day
Thérèse wakens from a nightmare in which she relived the drowning.
As Suzanne helps her dress, Thérèse wonders if she and Laurent
can love as they did before (Am I dreaming?).The women sing of the day
they will both have children.
Scene 3: The bedroom, that evening
As Madame and Suzanne prepare the bridal chamber, the tipsy Olivier and Grivet
manage to slip some stinging nettles into the bed. They then rehearse a wedding
serenade.
Scene 4: The bedroom, a little later
Mme. Raquin shows Thérèse children's things she has saved and
speaks about 'my' children that the newly wedded couple will have. Alone, Thérèse
sings a song about Noah's white dove, hoping it will lead her to peace.
Scene 5: The bedroom, a little later
Laurent enters but they cannot bring themselves to make
love. Instead they talk for two hours, speaking of trivialities. They realize
they must continue to live together and to put up a good front (What we did
can never be undone). Suddenly they hear the voice of Camille singing the
serenade Grivet and Olivier had rehearsed earlier. After a few more hours, Thérèse
asks Laurent about his visit to the morgue to see Camille, and for the first
time, she sees the scar from Camille's bite on his neck. Finally dawn breaks,
ending the excruciating and sleepless wedding night.
Scene 6: The shop
Camille's ghost appears to Mme. Raquin telling her the truth of his death (Betrayed,Betrayed).She
faints. When Thérèse and Laurent come in and revive her, she accuses
them of murder and then has a stroke which leaves her paralyzed and mute.
Scene 7: The apartment, five months later
The group is playing dominos, watched by Mme. Raquin in her wheelchair. In an
aside, Laurent describes how they have cared for the helpless woman, and he
complains about being chained to the Raquins. Suddenly Mme. Raquin's fingers
start to move, and they give her a pencil. Entranced, they watch as she manages
to spell out; T- H - E - R - . They supply "Thérèse and Laurent
are..." The fingers manage one more letter, an M, before paralysis returns.
Puzzled they finally decide she meant to write, "Thérèse and Laurent
are my greatest blessing", and decide the leave the 'love birds' alone until
the following Thursday.
Scene 8: A little later
Thérèse kneels by Mme. Raquin's chair and begs her forgiveness.
When Laurent berates her for 'play-acting' she turns on him and accuses him
of killing Camille. He retorts that she played the whore with him, and the argument
escalates. Finally he exits, as we later learn, to get poison. While he is gone,
she takes a knife from the cupboard. He returns, suggests they make-up and offers
her a glass of poisoned wine, saying it will help her sleep. She produces the
knife, stabs herself, and falls into his arms. He kisses her then drinks the
poisoned wine. They die as the curtain falls.
Zola's novel ends: "...for nearly twelve hours, until about noon next day, Madame Raquin, stiff and silent, contemplated them at her feet, unable to feast her eyes enough, eyes that crushed them with brooding hate".