Debussy - Pelleas et Melisande
by Laurent Pelly
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bertrand De Billy, Laurent Naouri, Natalie Dessay, Philip Ens, Stephane DegoutDirector: Laurent Pelly
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); German (Subtitled); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Italian (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2010-01-12
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: VIRGIN CLASSICS
Movie Reviews of Debussy - Pelleas et Melisande
Movie Review: A Very French Pelleas
Summary: 5 Stars
Who would have though in the year 2009 in Vienna a Pelleas et Melisande would appear with an almost French cast and a French Conductor yet that is exactly what we have in this most recent DVD from Virgin Classics. Is it the best sung Pelleas available? Well, perhaps not, but the overall excellence of the performance pulls in any slack that is evident as regards the singing.
First off, I must admit that I would never have guessed that Laurent Pelly was the director considering that most of his work has centered around the operettas of Offenbach and La Fille. The most successful of these is Belle Helene. For the most part I have found them "overdirected" frenetic and ultimately not very funny. I have no criticism of his direction here and am pleased that he is a better director than I would have assumed. Of course I must admit that my exposure to his work is restricted to DVD's and no doubt I am only seeing a fraction of his work.
Classic mise-en-scene for Pelleas is usually Belle Epoque/Arte Nouveau. This is not what we have here (nor is it the case of the TDK DVD from Zurich); vaguely late 19th century, but no attempt at realism as regards a forest, a grotto by the sea, etc. The Theater an der Wien has a rotating stage and sets for the many scenes are more a suggestion in that only a portion is constructed, that which is needed drammatically. This is far from Regie Konzept and should scare no auditor off--if you demand Regie go to Zurich for the work of Sven-Eric-Bechtoff: the production is beautifully sung but the Konzept is ridiculous.
Probably the best singing comes from Stephane Degout, possessor of a beautiful pliant voice, rich and warm; he is also available in a DVD of Cosi from Aix: excellent. Dessay makes a wonderful Melisande both vocally and dramatically. I can't imagine that this would translate to a large house--even the State Opera in Vienna would be too large, but in the context of this small house she is a perfect Melisande: maddening, ambiguous, childish, enigmatic and wonderful. Golaud is sung by Dessay's real life husband, Laurent Naouri. His is not a great voice (indeed especially when one recalls it was a role that George London recorded) and not especially beautiful (to hear him in better voice watch the current release of Orphee aux Enfers) but he is a superb actor and his frustration with Melisande is palpable. Arkel is sung by Philip Ens; he is currently singing with the Met where is has sung a Hunding! From Canada, I would assume that French is probably his second language.
How wonderful to hear this masterpiece sung by singers whose native language is French; it is truly tragic that the school of French singing which existed until WWII is only a shadow of what it had been. Alas the situation is similar in Italy with most its provincial houses no longer operating. For a country that supplied the great Verdi singers it seems content to follow the French and we are the poorer for it. The French, of course have a better excuse than the Italians; outside of Carmen, Pelleas, Hoffman, Manon, Werther, Faust and Romeo et Juliette, most French works were tailored for the specific talents of artists such as Garden, Teyte; Italian and German works were sung in the vernacular. This was the situation in most European cities whether it was Berlin or Vienna. Post WWII this all changed. I can't imagine that there will be a revival of "Schools of Singin" that can be identified as French, Italian, etc., but this DVD does offer evidence that there is a great deal of pleasure in contemplating the possibility.
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