Claude Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande

Soloists:

Rodney Gilfry, Isabel Rey, Michael Volle

Orchestra, choir:

Zurich Opera Choir and Orchestra

Conductor:

Franz Welser-Möst

Director:

Sven-Eric Bechtolf

A mysterious, childlike woman, a murder motivated by jealousy, an orphan: Debussy's only completed opera, Pelléas et Mélisande, is full of magical, mysterious, and deeply symbolic moments. With this work, Debussy literally added a new dimension to the 1893 play of the same name by Belgian playwright and poet Maurice Maeterlinck. Maeterlinck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1911. The role of Pelléas is played by Rodney Gilfry, a leading American opera baritone whose singing has been repeatedly praised by many leading music critics. The San Francisco Chronicle has praised Gilfry for his "rich, beautifully flowing baritone with a magnificent upper register" and his "vibrant stage presence." Gilfry has established himself as one of the most fascinating musicians on the world's opera stages. Alongside him, Mélisande is played by Isabel Rey, who is internationally renowned for her fine singing technique and sensitive acting skills. Her crystal-clear soprano voice and the wintry set design open up the cold world of the subconscious to the audience. With its magnificent soloists and esteemed cast, this opera promises an exceptional listening experience. Thanks to Franz Welser-Möst's superb conducting, this Zurich Opera House production sets musical standards. Praised in San Francisco, Welser-Möst is exceptionally talented and internationally renowned as one of the most significant personalities in the field of classical music. Together with director Sven-Eric Bechtolf, he has developed into one of the leading teams in contemporary music theater.