LA Phil's Long Journey with Pelléas et Mélisande a Glowing Success

Opera cognoscenti revere Pelléas et Mélisande, but their cliquish enthusiasm has not always translated to its wider appeal among general audiences. Tutored on the primary dramatic colors of Italian opera or the emphatic emotions of its German counterpart, they have puzzled over the subtle, static goings-on of Pelléas, where the listener is compelled to eavesdrop on the subconscious ramblings of lovers unaware they are in love. The LA Phil and its now Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen have ...