大象传媒

ACT 1

Scene 1: Golaud has lost his way. He comes upon an unknown girl sitting
by a spring. The girl is clearly distressed, but initially refuses any help and
only reluctantly discloses her name: M茅lisande. A crown in the water brings
her past to mind. Golaud offers to retrieve it for her, but M茅lisande threatens
to kill herself. When Golaud then admits to her that he too feels lost,
she agrees to go with him.

Scene 2: Six months later in Allemonde. Pell茅as has received a letter from
his half-brother Golaud telling him that he has married M茅lisande. If the
family is not willing to accept his new wife, he vows never to return to
Allemonde. Golaud fears that his grandfather, old Arkel, will not agree to
his marriage since he had another bride in mind for his grandson.
Genevi猫ve, the mother of Pell茅as and Golaud, now reads this letter to the
half-blind patriarch. The old man reluctantly agrees.
Pell茅as wants to leave Allemonde to go to the side of his friend who lies
dying. Since Pell茅as鈥� father is also ill, Arkel forbids him to leave.

Scene 3: M茅lisande has arrived in Allemonde with Golaud. She complains
of the oppressive darkness. Genevi猫ve tells her that she too had to come
to terms with it. Together they go in search of the brightness of the sea.
Pell茅as joins them, and he and M茅lisande believe they can see the ship that
brought M茅lisande. In spite of an approaching storm, the ship is setting sail
again. Pell茅as talks about his possible departure.

ACT 2

Scene 1: Pell茅as leads M茅lisande to a fountain that once possessed magical
powers and asks her about her relationship with Golaud. To avoid answering,
M茅lisande plays with her wedding ring. She drops it, and it falls into
the deep water. M茅lisande is distressed by this, but Pell茅as advises her to
tell Golaud the truth.

Scene 2: At exactly that same moment, Golaud has had an accident. M茅lisande
nurses him and confesses to him how unhappy she is in Allemonde. Golaud
believes that her uneasiness is caused by her pregnancy. When he takes
her hands to comfort her, he notices that her ring is missing. M茅lisande
lies to him, telling him that she lost her ring in a cave where she went to
collect shells for little Yniold, Golaud鈥檚 son from his first marriage. Golaud
demands that she go and look for the ring that night; Pell茅as should accompany
her.

Scene 3: Pell茅as takes M茅lisande to a cave so that she can later describe
her search for the ring to Golaud. When they come upon old indigents, the
victims of a famine, M茅lisande insists on turning back.

ACT 3

Scene 1: M茅lisande sings to herself, daydreaming. Pell茅as comes in to say
goodbye to her. M茅lisande begs him not to go away. Pell茅as starts playing
with her hair, initially innocently, and M茅lisande allows him to do so. When
Pell茅as becomes passionately entangled in her hair, Golaud surprises the
couple and scolds them for their 鈥渃hildish games鈥�.

Scene 2: Golaud takes Pell茅as down to the cisterns of death. Shuddering,
Pell茅as rushes from the eerie dungeons.

Scenes 3 and 4: Having escaped from the darkness, Pell茅as again encounters
M茅lisande. Golaud again warns him to stay away from M茅lisande.
Overcome by jealousy, Golaud tries to question his little son Yniold about
the relationship between Pell茅as and M茅lisande. He wants to force the boy
to spy on M茅lisande and Pell茅as.

ACT 4

Scenes 1 and 2: Pell茅as tells M茅lisande that his father has finally recovered
from his illness. His father implored him to take his leave immediately.
Pell茅as and M茅lisande arrange one last meeting. Arkel is happy that Pell茅as鈥�
father has recovered and hopes that happier days now lie ahead for the heavily
pregnant M茅lisande and for the entire family. Golaud jealously humiliates
M茅lisande and abuses her until Arkel tries to bring him to his senses.

Scenes 3 and 4: Yniold is looking for his toy at night. He realizes that the
sheep have died.
Pell茅as and M茅lisande declare their love for each other. When the gates are
shut, they are prepared to run away together. Golaud thwarts their plan; he
kills Pell茅as and wounds M茅lisande.

ACT 5

M茅lisande is weakened as a result of the premature birth of her child, a
daughter. Golaud makes one last attempt to learn the truth from her. To
no avail.

With thanks to Vienna State Opera