Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Damien Jalet And Marina Abramovic Bring A New Production Of Debussy's PELLEAS ET MELISANDE

In the Claude Debussy year of 2018 - the centenary of his death - Opera Vlaanderen has chosen an exceptional artistic team for this prestigious, new production of Debussy's only completed opera, Pelléas et Mélisande.

After their succes with Boléro in the Opéra de Paris (2017) the celebrated choreographers Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet will be collaborating again with one of the most talked-about performance artists of our time, Marina Abramovi?. They are joined by rising star conductor Alejo Pérez to bring this opera based on the symbolist play written by Belgian author Maurice Maeterlinck to the stage. On top of that, the Dutch couturier Iris van Herpen - the favourite designer of the likes of Björk and Lady Gaga - will be creating spectacular costumes and Marco Brambilla - who, after his career in Hollywood with movies like Demolition Man and Excess Bagage, became one of the foremost video artistes - produces the video concept.

For the first time, all the creative forces of our organisation will work together on an opera production: dancers of Royal Ballet Flanders, soloists and the internationally renowned Opera Vlaanderen chorus and orchestra will merge in this gripping, intensely personal new interpretation of one of the most mysterious and fascinating operas of the twentieth century.

The soloists also include many promising names. The young Norwegian soprano Mari Eriksmoen will be Mélisande. The South African baritone Jacques Imbrailo who previously had audiences swooning as Pelléas in Zürich, will reprise his role here. The British baritone Leigh Melrose - who recently sang the part of Golaud at the Ruhrtiennale - will sing the part here. American mezzo Susan Maclean - our Kundry in Parsifal (2013) - sings the role of Geneviève.

Facts:

Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918)
Lyrical drama in five acts and thirteen tableaux after Pelléas et Mélisande by Maurice Maeterlinck
Creation Paris, 1902
New production
Coproduction with Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, L'Opéra national du Rhin Strassbourg, Göteborgs Operan & Grand Théâtre de Genève
Conductor Alejo Pérez
Director / Choreography Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui & Damien Jalet
Visual Concept Marina Abramovi?
Costumes Iris van Herpen
Video Marco Brambilla
Lighting Urs Schönebaum
Chorus master Jan Schweiger
Dramaturgy Koen Bollen
Musical dramaturgy Piet De Volder

Mélisande - Mari Eriksmoen
Pelléas - Jacques Imbrailo
Golaud - Leigh Melrose
Arkel - Matthew Best
Geneviève - Susan Maclean
Yniold - Anat Edri
Le Docteur / Le Berger - Markus Suihkonen

Opera Vlaanderen Symphony Orchestra
Opera Vlaanderen Chorus
Dancers Royal Ballet Flanders

Tickets €14 - €127
+32 (0)70 22 02 02 or operaballet.be

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