Product Overview
Debussy - Pelléas et Mélisande DVD Glyndebourne Festival Opera / Directed by Graham Vick / Conductor Andrew Davis / Christiane Oelze, Richard Croft, John Tomlinson, Gwynne Howell / NVC Arts
MADE IN EU
REGION 2 PAL DVD
AUDIO: French 2.0
SUBTITLES: German, English, French, Italian, Portuguese
TOTAL RUNTIME: 163 MINUTES
English Summary:
Pelléas et Mélisande (Pelléas and Mélisande) is an opera in five acts with music by Claude Debussy. The French libretto was adapted from Maurice Maeterlinck's symbolist play Pelléas et Mélisande. It was premiered at the Salle Favart in Paris by the Opéra-Comique on 30 April 1902 with Jean Périer as Pelléas and Mary Garden as Mélisande in a performance conducted by André Messager, who was instrumental in getting the Opéra-Comique to stage the work. The only opera Debussy ever completed, it is considered a landmark in 20th-century music.
The plot concerns a love triangle. Prince Golaud finds Mélisande, a mysterious young woman, lost in a forest. He marries her and brings her back to the castle of his grandfather, King Arkel of Allemonde. Here Mélisande becomes increasingly attached to Golaud's younger half-brother Pelléas, arousing Golaud's jealousy. Golaud goes to excessive lengths to find out the truth about Pelléas and Mélisande's relationship, even forcing his own child, Yniold, to spy on the couple. Pelléas decides to leave the castle but arranges to meet Mélisande one last time and the two finally confess their love for one another. Golaud, who has been eavesdropping, rushes out and kills Pelléas. Mélisande dies shortly after, having given birth to a daughter, with Golaud still begging her to tell him “the truth.”
Act I
Prince Golaud, lost while out hunting, stumbles upon a beautiful young girl, frightened and weeping by a fountain. She refuses to tell him anything beyond her name, but reluctantly agrees to go with him. In his castle, King Arkel of Allemonde, Golaud’s grandfather, learns of Golaud’s marriage to Mélisande. Golaud fears to return, knowing that a political alliance would have pleased him better. Golaud’s half-brother Pelléas asks permission to leave the castle, but is refused. He must stay to greet his brother and his new bride. Golaud’s mother Geneviève introduces Mélisande to Allemonde and to Pelléas, who she asks to look after her.
Act II
Pelléas and Mélisande are by a well in the forest. Mélisande is playing with a ring Golaud gave her, throwing it high into the air. As the clock chimes noon she drops it into the water. At the same moment, Golaud is thrown from his horse while out hunting. When Mélisande comes to him he notices her ring is lost. Scared, she lies, telling him she lost it in a sea-cave. Although it is night, Golaud insists she goes to look for it, accompanied by Pelléas. Pelléas and Mélisande enter the sea-cave. At that moment the moon emerges from behind a cloud, revealing three beggars asleep just inside. Mélisande, frightened, begs to leave.
Act III
Mélisande is in a castle tower, brushing her hair. Pelléas arrives below and tells her he is leaving. He tangles himself in her hair, but Golaud catches them and tells them both off for behaving like children. Golaud takes Pelléas to a cave below the castle where it is dark and airless. He warns Pelleas to stay away from Mélisande who is now pregnant and delicate.
Golaud questions his son Yniold about Pelléas and Mélisande but the small boy knows nothing. Golaud holds him up to the window to spy on the two, but Yniold only sees them sitting and staring, not even talking. Golaud’s jealous fantasies are stirred.
Act IV
Pelléas’s father is now better and he prepares to leave, asking Mélisande to meet him one last time by the well. Arkel tries to reassure Mélisande that she may yet be happy in Allemonde, but Golaud interrupts and becomes angry with her, throwing her to the ground. Pelléas and Mélisande meet by the well. They confess their love and kiss. But Golaud is waiting in the dark and stabs Pelléas, before pursuing a fleeing Mélisande and turning the knife on himself, unsuccessfully.
Act V
Mélisande has given birth to a daughter, but is dying. Golaud visits her and tries to discover the truth of her relationship with Pelléas. She innocently confesses that she loved him. Golaud is tormented. She dies, and Arkel comforts Golaud.
Tracklist:
Pelléas et Mélisande (Oper in 5 Akten) (Gesamtaufnahme)
01. "Introduktion"
Pelleas Et Melisande - Act II
02. "Jene pourrai plus sortir de cette for?t (1. Akt)"
Pelleas Et Melisande - Act III
03. "Voici ce qu'il ?crit ? son fr?re Pell?as"
Pelleas Et Melisande - Act IV
04. "Il fait sombre dans les jardins"
Pelleas Et Melisande - Act V
05. "Vous ne savez pas o? je vous ai men?e? (2. Akt)"
06. "Ah! Ah! Tout va bien"
07. "Oui, c'est ici, nous y sommes"
08. "Mes longs cheveux descendent (3. Akt)"
09. "Prenez garde"
10. "Ah! Je respire enfin!"
11. "Viens, nous allons nous asseoir ici"
12. "O? vas-tu? (4. Akt)"
13. "Oh! Cette pierre est lourde"
14. "C'est le dernier soir"
15. "Ce n'est pas de cette petite blessure qu'elle peut mourir (5. Akt)"
16. "Credits"
