Claude Debussy’s only opera, “Pelleas et Melisande,” is featured on this week’s Sunday Opera (12/10 3:00 p.m.). Based on a play of the same title by Maurice Maeterlinck, the opera premiered at the Oprea-Comique on 30 April 1902 to wildly mixed reviews, but it has gone on to be considered by many as a “landmark in 20th century music.”
The plot is rather long and meanders, but in brief, it focuses on a love triangle that includes Prince Golaud (Kyle Ketelsen) and Melisande (Sydney Mancasola) whom he finds wandering in a forest and marries. He brings her back to the castle of his grandfather, King Arkel (Ferrucio Furlanetto) where Melisande finds herself becoming more and more attracted to Golaud’s younger half-brother, Pelleas (Will Liverman) which causes Golaud to become increasingly jealous.
Throughout the rest of the opera, Golaud goes to great lengths to find out the truth regarding the relationship between Pelleas and Melisande, even forcing his son, Yniold (Kai Edgar) to spy on them.
Eventually, Pelleas decides to leave and arranges to meet Melisande one last time. Overhearing this, Golaud hides, and when he hears the two confess their love for each other, he attacks Pelleas, stabbing him to death. Shortly afterwards, Melisande delivers a baby girl and dies.
The cast also includes Susan Graham as Golaud and Pelleas’ mother. James Conlon conducts the LA Opera Chorus and Orchestra.
After the opera, host Michael Kownacky will change things up a bit with Bruckner’s incredible Symphony No. 3 in D minor performed by the Aachen Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marcus Bosch. Also known as his “Wagner Symphony,” it’s the symphony where Bruckner truly came into his own. One of the most revised symphonies with no fewer than six, Michael is extremely happy to be offering the original 1873 version to fill an hour in your afternoon.
