[Pelléas et Mélisande Debussy] The modern world of fantasy as known by the synopsis.

[Pelléas et Mélisande Debussy] The modern world of fantasy as known by the synopsis.

Overview

**

The story takes place in the Middle Ages in the fictional kingdom of Almond.

Golaud, the king's grandson, takes home Melisande, a mysterious and beautiful woman who was crying by a spring and makes her his wife.

She has a child with Golaud, but Melisande has no love for her husband. Instead, she develops an affection for Golaud's half-brother Pelleas.

Golaud resents this, and Pelleas senses it and decides to leave her, but Golaud stabs Pelleas to death when he sees the parting embrace. Melisande is also mortally wounded.

Melisande breathes her last as she finishes giving birth.

**

Composed by Debussy

Script: Revised by Claude Debussy from the play by Maurice Maeterlinck *He is also the author of the famous "BlueBird."

Premiere: April 30, 1902 / Paris / Opéra-Comique

Structure: 5 acts

Running time: approximately 2 hours 50 minutes

**

Golaud

Grandson of King Arkel. Half-brother to Pelleas. He is married to Melisande.

Melisande

A beautiful woman is full of mystery. So Golaud persuades her to marry him.

Pelleas

King Arkel's grandson. Half-brother of Golaud.

King Arkel

Kingdom of Almond. Grandfather of Golaud and Pelleas.

Genevieve.

Mother of Golaud and Pelleas.

Ingold.

Golaud's son by his former wife.

***

Act I

1)

Golaud, the grandson of King Arkel of the Kingdom of Almond in the Middle Ages, is lost on a hunt.

He meets a beautiful woman, Melisande, weeping alone by the water spring.

"Why are you crying?" Golaud asks, and when he tries to lean closer to her, "Please don't touch me!" Melisande repeats, "Don't touch me!"

Golaud asks Melisande many questions, but she only gives him vague answers.

2)

When she tells him that the crown has fallen into the Fountain, she says, "It fell out while I was crying." Golaud tries to pick it up.

When Golaud tries to pick it up, Melisande says, "If I pick up the crown, I too will fall."

When Golaud tells her his name and identity, Melisande tells him only her name.

Golaud persuades Melisande and takes her home.

3)

After a time, a letter from Golaud arrives at the castle, addressed to his half-brother Pelleas.

Golaud had been advised to marry another woman.

However, he married the beautiful Melisande six months ago.

He wrote to Pelleas, asking him to speak to his family to have them approve it.

4)

Geneviève, the mother of Golaud and Pelleas, reads the letter to the blind King Raquel.

King Raquel approves the marriage.

Pelleas wishes to visit his friend, who is in critical condition.

However, King Arkel discourages him, saying that Pelleas' father is also seriously ill.

5)

Golaud and Melisande enter the castle.

Melisande is with Golaud's mother, Geneviève.

Then Pelleas appears.

Geneviève and Pelléas are looking out at sea and talking, "It is dark at sea; a storm may be coming."

After talking about the sea for a while, everyone returns to the castle.

6)

Pelleas and Melisande Synopsis
Act II

Pelleas and Melisande, who have become good friends, look at the well as they talk.

Melisande, amused, takes off her wedding ring near the well and plays with it, throwing it.

Pelleas warns her, "Don't throw it like that."

But Melisande does not listen.

Finally, Melisande drops the ring into the well.

7)

"What shall we do now?" Pelleas says to Melisande, "Don't worry so much."

"I was supposed to have it in my hand." But then, Melisande comes back to herself.

"What should I tell Golaud?"

Finally, Pelleas tells her, "Tell him the truth," and they leave the place.

8)

Golaud falls from his horse during a hunt and is injured when he returns home.

Melisande takes care of him.

Melisande is very attentive to Golaud.

He says, "I'm fine." Melisande says and suddenly starts crying.

9)

Melisande says, "I am not happy."

Golaud asks, "Why?" Melisande replies, "I am not happy with you."

He tries to persuade Melisande.

Then he notices that Melisande's ring is missing and gets angry.

He says, "Go with Pelleas and look for it at once." Melisande says, "I am unhappy." and leaves the room.

10)

Pelleas and Melisande Synopsis
Act III

Pelleas is showing Melisande around the Cave of the Dawn.

Pelleas leads Melisande to enter.

Then the moon illuminates the cave. Finally, at the bottom of the cave, three vagrants are sleeping.

To Melisande's surprise, Pelleas says, "There is an impending famine in this country."

11)

Melisande goes up to the tower and says, "My hair reaches the bottom of the tower."

He says, "There are innumerable stars. The moon is still above the sea."

He looked at Melisande in the light and said, "Beautiful. I want to get closer."

12)

Melisande said, "I cannot go toward Pelleas."

Pelleas said, "Tomorrow, I will go on my journey. Put your lips on my hand." So he asks her to do so.

As Melisande teases him, her lengthy hair falls down the tower.

Pelleas is so delighted that he wraps Melisande's hair around a branch, talking about how beautiful she is.

13)

Then Golaud appears and advises Pelleas, "Melisande is pregnant, so don't play with her."

Golaud asks Iniordo, his son from a previous marriage, what happened to Melisande while Golaud was away.

Golaud gets angry at Iniordo's unclear answer and threatens him. Iniordo is scared of Golaud's voice.