A hi-gloss Pelléas et Mélisande falls flat in Geneva

By Mark Valencia, 22 February 2021

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“so much nebulous action suggests a pair of directors who don’t trust the composer”

Reviewed at Grand Théâtre de Genève, Geneva on 19 February 2021

Debussy, Pelléas et Mélisande

Grand Théâtre de Genève

Jonathan Nott, Conductor

Damien Jalet, Director, Choreography

Marina Abramović, Set Designer, Design concept

Iris van Herpen, Costume Designer

Urs Schönebaum, Lighting Designer

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Director, Choreography

Marco Brambilla, Video director

Mari Eriksmoen, Mélisande

Jacques Imbrailo, Pelléas

Leigh Melrose, Golaud

Matthew Best, Arkel

Yvonne Naef, Geneviève

Marie Lys, Yniold

Justin Hopkins, Shepherd, A Doctor

Chorus of the Grand Théâtre de Genève

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande

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Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.