Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande A Guide to the Opera with Musical Examples from the Score

"Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande" by Lawrence Gilman is a roadmap to a famous opera, including music from the earliest performances, from the early 1900s. This book takes a closer look at Claude Debussy's amazing opera, first put on stage in 1902, which is based on Maurice Maeterlinck's play. Inside, the author looks at Debussy's new and different music ideas, focusing most of the attention on the love story of Pelléas and Mélisande dealing with what's meant to happen and what the fates will allow. The guide goes into what makes Debussy's "Pelléas et Mélisande" important in music history, pointing out that it breaks away from how operas had been done before. It also gives helpful explanations of Debussy's style, showing how the opera tells a story through feelings and mood. Looking at characters like the hard-to-understand Mélisande and her relationships with Pelléas and Golaud helps highlight how the music and the touching love story work together. The tone introduces a detailed examination of Debussy's actual notes and arrangements, showing in great detail how his music fits so well with the heartbreaking text of Maeterlinck's script.