Leaving aside the fact that the musical aspects of this Zurich Opera production of Pelléas et Mélisande are more than acceptable, the stage action and setting are so off-putting as to make this an untenable proposition.
First a word about the music: Franz Welser-Most leads a knowing performance, getting lovely subtlety from both orchestra and singers. Pelléas is the marvelous Rodney Gilfry, Mélisande the equally effective Isabel Rey. Laszlo Polgar is a particularly good Arkel, Michael Volle only slightly less good as Golaud. Cornelia Kallisch is fine as Geneviève.
But the mise en scene is, uh, stupid, if you'll pardon my saying so. First, there are three-quarter-sized manikins that are doubles of the major characters, and the main characters, when addressing each other, most often address the manikins rather than the singer of the part. I suppose this is intended to convey some sort of psychological isolation, but frankly it comes across as pretentious and unconvincing. The characters often carry their manikin, or drag it around. From time to time the characters are in wheelchairs, or their manikins are; again, presumably this indicates the characters are all handicapped or flawed in some way. Couldn't we just let Maeterlinck's words tell us that? The setting seems to be a land of eternal snow -- psychological coldness, get it? -- and unvarying shades of white, gray, ugly green. Why?
This is an example of Regietheater gone mad. When there are other DVDs of Pelleas out there, and with equally good singers and orchestras, and in traditional or at least less bizarre productions, I'd strongly suggest you pass this one by.
Scott Morrison
