Pelléas et Mélisande
Claude Debussy
New production.
Opera in five acts.
Libretto by Maurice Maeterlinck.
Premiered on April 30, 1902 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris.
In coproduction with the Opéra national de Lyon, the Théâtre national de l’Opéra-Comique and the Opéra de Dijon.
Infos
Mulhouse
La Filature
Strasbourg
Opéra
Intermission included.
To help you better appreciate the works you are about to discover, we invite you to attend a “Prologue”— a brief 30-minute introduction — one hour before the performance.
Cast
Direction musicale Louis Langrée Mise en scène Richard Brunel Décors Stephan Zimmerli Costumes Nathalie Pallandre Lumières Laurent Castaingt Dramaturgie Catherine Ailloud-Nicolas Chœur de l’Opéra national du Rhin, Orchestre national de Mulhouse
Artists
Pelléas Guillaume Andrieux Mélisande Lauranne Oliva Golaud Stéphane Degout Geneviève Lucile Richardot Arkel Edwin Crossley-Mercer Yniold Céleste Pinel Un berger, le Médecin Jiawen Li
Presentation
Lost in the forest, Prince Golaud encounters the mysterious Mélisande sitting beside a lake. Entranced not only by her beauty but also by her air of mystery, he chooses to marry her. Upon their return to Allemonde Castle, Mélisande captivates everyone’s attention—that of Arkel, the blind yet insightful king; of Geneviève, Golaud’s protective mother; of Yniold, the reluctant spy, and, most poignantly, of Pelléas, Golaud’s half-brother, whose gentle heart wins Mélisande’s affection at first glance. Yet Golaud’s all-consuming jealousy casts a shadow over any chance for happiness.
In this symbolically charged tale, the relationship between Pelléas and Mélisande is played out through dream-like moments, ambiguous confessions, and elusive nuances. This whimsical quality resonates deeply in Debussy’s music, woven from shimmering textures, featherlight harmonies, and delicate tonal colors.
Director Richard Brunel conjures a sickly and unsettling world from which Mélisande desperately seeks to escape. Drawing inspiration from the disturbing architecture of sanatoriums and panopticons, he imagines the opera as a tale of confinement and crumbling authority. On the conductor’s podium, Louis Langrée masterfully shapes the delicate textures of this exquisite score, brought to life by a remarkable cast that includes Stéphane Degout, who steps away from his signature Pelléas to embody the compelling character of Golaud.
In French
Subtitles in French and German.
