- 1966 
At the start of the opera, Cadmus, King of Thebes, has abdicated his throne in favour of his son Pentheus. Pentheus has learned of the cult of Dionysus, which involves wild and irrational revelry. Pentheus plans to ban the cult from his city. A stranger arrives in town and seduces the citizens into increasingly frenetic celebration of the god Dionysus. Because Pentheus is unaware of his own irrational, "Dionysiac" impulses, or tries to suppress them, Dionysus can entrance Pentheus and intrude upon his nature to the point that Pentheus disguises himself as a woman, and goes to Mount Cytheron, where the revelry is occurring. In the course of events, the spell over the citizens extends to Agave, Pentheus' mother, and Autonoe, Pentheus' sister. Pentheus is killed and torn to pieces, and his city brought to ruin. Without realizing it, Agave cradles the severed head of her son in her arms. The Stranger is revealed to be Dionysus himself.
| Dionysus | Tenor | M-M | Voice and stranger |
| Tiresias | Tenor | M-M | Old blind prophet |
| Cadmus | Bass | M-VL | King of Thebes |
| Agave | Mezzosoprano | F-M | Daughter of Cadmus, mother of Pentheus |
| Beroe | Alto | M-VH | Old slave, once nurse to Semele and Pentheus |
| Captain | Baritone | M-L | Captain of the Royal Guard |
| Pentheus | Baritone | M-L | King of Thebes |
| Autonoe | Soprano | F-H | Daughter of Cadmus |