Pelleas et Melisande

Composer: Debussy, Claude

Librettist/Text Author: Maeterlinck, Maurice

Conductor: Soltesz, Stefan

Orchestra: Essen Philharmonic Orchestra

Chorus: Aalto Theatre Opera Chorus

Arkel: Schone, Wolfgang

Doctor: Kabala, Mateusz

Genevieve: Soffel, Doris

Golaud: Le Texier, Vincent

Melisande: Selinger, Michaela

Pelleas: Imbrailo, Jacques

Yniold: Eberle, Dominik

Set Designer: Bauer, Raimund

Costume Designer: Schmidt-Futterer, Andrea

Stage Director: Lehnhoff, Nikolaus

Television Director: Richardt, Marcus

---

Venue: Aalto-Musiktheater, Essen

Playing Time: 02:30:24

Catalogue Number: A05050011

Libretto

Pelleas et Melisande EN

Synopsis

Pelleas et Melisande

---

Music of introverted tenderness and a libretto that hints at much and offers few answers - such is Pelleas et Melisande, Claude Debussy's only completed opera. Dubbed "Drama lyrique" by the composer himself, and written in 1902 at a time when the subconscious, the psyche, dreams and urges commanded the attention of science and art, this music searches the souls of its characters with its subtle nuances. Pelleas and Golaud are half-brothers, each loving the girl-from-nowhere Melisande. The elder, dominant Golaud makes her his wife; the younger Pelleas is the soul-mate of the taciturn, strangely vulnerable Melisande and an equally mysterious bond of concealed love is formed between them. The consummately precise staging by Nikolaus Lehnhoff has a cast to match these wondrous sounds. This exceptional production "achieves what actually can only be understood as magic." (Die Welt)