Natalie Dessay to star as Melisande at the Barbican

On 19 April 2011 the Barbican welcomes a stellar cast for a performance of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, the only opera the composer ever completed.

The title roles are sung by Natalie Dessay and Simon Keenlyside alongside a cast that includes Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Laurent Naouri, Alain Vernhes, Khatouna Gadelia and Nahuel Di Pierro. The Orchestre de Paris is conducted by Louis Langrée.

Although the text of Pelléas inspired many of Debussy’s contemporaries to write incidental music or tone poems (such as Gabriel Fauré, Jean Sibelius and Arnold Schoenberg), he was fascinated by the play’s potential as an opera libretto. This concert performance is produced by the Barbican in association with Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris.

Performances of this most enigmatic of operas are rare, and it’s not been seen in London since The Royal Opera staged the work in 2007, so this one-off presentation at the Barbican is a must, especially as it fields such a strong cast.

Tickets are available from www.barbican.org.uk or 020 7638 8891.