Pelléas et Mélisande

This has become one of my favorite productions of a favorite opera.

After countless viewings I am still stunned by it. I was initially put off by Graham Vick's comments that he had set the entire opera in one giant Victorian style room ... but within minutes after the curtain rose, I found myself watching a cast who obviously and absolutely believed in this vision and the result was - in every sense - simply stunning.

Contrary to my positive opinion was the intermission feature, featuring a panel of "critics," including legendary director Ken Russell, all of whom complained that the work was being stifled by this production. One commentator stated to the effect that "Sadly, one needs the castles and the forests, etc." because "Debussy's music is so ethereal and light and you want to be drawn into it, but you can't because you're stopped by this dark, oppressive set which I find a directorial imposition which frankly in this work we don't need ..." Ken Russell continued in similar vein commenting that the libretto is a difficult thing and hard to understand, and how even though he's not a fan of Pelleas ("Debussy was not at his artistic height here ... I find the music too strident" ... oh, please, Ken) that he too felt Vick was making his presence too intrusive and self-serving ... odd words coming from Ken Russell. Russell also pronounced that it took Debussy nine years to complete the opera, when all sources I've consulted state "two years." They all sounded like prissy old farts and acted like the 107 year old Pelleas was some strange new thing that still must somehow be taken literally.

Well, for me this was an illuminating production of an opera I've always loved.

Richard Croft was a revelation as Pelleas, truly boyish and Vick's touches (i.e., Pelleas is barefoot throughout Act I - in scene iii he's in shorts and playing with Yniold on the beach) do wonders for . With such gorgeous, youthful sound, warm and bright, I think the case can be made that this role is now best suited to a tenor, making the distinction between Golaud and Pelleas even stronger. Croft's facial expressions, the youthful ability to swing between ecstatic exhilirating joy to being crushed, the physicality of his actions in the "Tower" scene all would seem to make him the Pelleas of choice.

The "Tower Scene" finds Melisande perched high above the stage in an enormous globe-style chandelier ... dazzling! The chandelier lowers and Pelleas stretching, reaching up to her as her hair cascades was breathtaking... a touch of the erotic - just what the moment needs - as the chandelier lowers even more and Pelleas reclines on the floor, covered with her hair.

Golaud is the amazing John Tomlinson and he plays the role in a frighteningly real schizophrenic manner - gentle and kind, then mad and violent. The scene with Yniold is absolutely terrifying as Golaud kicks in one of the glass floor tiles and shoves his son's head down into the hole to spy on his wife and brother - Yniold finally fleeing and banging for someone - anyone to let him out of this mad house.

Those glass tiles provide wonderful effects such as when the floor lights up and flowers are everywhere, or in the grotto scene when the "sleeping" bodies are discovered (chilling). The great staircase which dominates the set is used to wonderful effect and imposes its own set of though provocation on its symbolism.

Cristian Oelze (spelling?) is a bright voiced, wonderfully neurotic Melisande and the electricity between she and Croft intensifies these roles to the point of being almost white hot.

Jean Rigby's makes Genevieve the only seemingly normal one - but what's her deal? She can't be all that together, for she remains in this palace of dysfunction too willingly.

Glyndebourne Music Director, Andrew Davis moved things along with nice flowing tempi and the orchestra responded with sound that was alternately dense and diaphanous, a beautiful performance.