French operatic production of the 20th century is considerable; three of these operas – Miguel Mañara, Don Juan de Mañara, by Henri Tomasi (1944); Dialogues des Carmélites, by Francis Poulenc (1956) and Saint François d'Assise, by Olivier Messiaen (1983) – take place on the intersection between temporal and spiritual spaces and ways of life in different historical moments. Bearing in mind historiographical, aesthetic and stylistic elements, through an analytical method based on particularities of both text and music, as well as vocal writing and/or orchestration features, the present essay will consider the relationship between regular and secular ways of life in the above mentioned works, while providing insight about their social and ideological contexts
