Debussy: Pelléas and Mélisande (2012)

Chandos' courageous and innovative series Opera in English has successfully tackled some of the most translation-resistant operas in the repertoire, such as Dialogues des Carmélites and operas by Janácek, but Pelléas et Mélisande represents a challenge of another order. Debussy's setting of the text is so driven by the natural inflections of the French language that a performance in translation seems almost sacrilegious, if not downright impossible to pull off persuasively. This translation by Hugh MacDonald is successful, ... Read More

Chandos' courageous and innovative series Opera in English has successfully tackled some of the most translation-resistant operas in the repertoire, such as Dialogues des Carmélites and operas by Janácek, but Pelléas et Mélisande represents a challenge of another order. Debussy's setting of the text is so driven by the natural inflections of the French language that a performance in translation seems almost sacrilegious, if not downright impossible to pull off persuasively. This translation by Hugh MacDonald is successful, though. It requires some fiddling with Debussy's vocal lines, but it's minimally intrusive and is done without disrupting the musical fabric, and it flows naturally. Unless one is absolutely fluent in the language in which an opera is written, hearing it in one's native language (when done as well as Chandos' versions are) almost inevitably increases rather than diminishes the opera's dramatic impact. (It also depends on the quality of the libretto; a silly libretto is going to sound... Read Less

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• CD, New 2012, Chandos UPC: 095115317723 See Item Details ▾

  newtownvideo HIGH huntingdon valley, PA, USA

  $37.46 Add to Cart Add this copy of Pelleas and Melisande, Archive Edition to cart. $37.46, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Chandos.

  	Edition: 2012, Chandos CD, New Available Copies: 10+	Details: UPC: 095115317723 Label: Chandos Released: 01/31/2012 Alibris ID: 17897426721	Shipping Options: Standard Shipping: $4.99 Trackable Expedited: $9.19 Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
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• CD, New 2012, Chandos UPC: 095115317723 See Item Details ▾

  Revaluation Books HIGH Exeter, DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM

  $44.79 Add to Cart Add this copy of Debussy: Pelleas and Melisande (Chandos: Chan 3177(3)) to cart. $44.79, new condition, Sold by Revaluation Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Exeter, DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2012 by CHANDOS GROUP.

  	Edition: 2012, Chandos CD, New	Details: UPC: 095115317723 Label: Chandos Released: 2012 Alibris ID: 17818847078	Shipping Options: Standard Shipping: $4.99 Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
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2012, Chandos UPC: 095115317723 CD See All from $18.00