Curtis Opera Theatre: Pelléas et Mélisande

Curtis Opera Theatre presents Debussy ‘s modernist masterpiece Pelléas et Mélisande , an ethereal meditation on love, jealousy, and the inevitability of fate. Adapted from Belgian playwright and librettist Maurice Maeterlinck’s drama, this enigmatic opera traces a shadowy, dream-like love triangle among Mélisande and Pelléas, and his envious brother Golaud. Set in a world of half-light and suggestion, the drama unfolds through glances, silences, and hidden desires. Departing from conventional 19th-century Romanticism, Debussy centers subtle moods and shifting musical colors over grand vocal gestures. Here, characters express emotion through a minimalist “talk-sing” vocal style based on the rhythm of the French language. Conducted by Evan Rogister and directed by John Matsumoto Giampietro , this work also features a shimmering, impressionistic score that illuminates passions and tensions its characters cannot voice. A landmark of musical symbolism, Pelléas et Mélisande continues to mesmerize audiences over a century later. Please note programs and artists are subject to change.