Impressions de Pelléas
Experience the haunting beauty of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande in this intimate, abridged version sung in French. Adapted by composer Marius Constant, Impressions de Pelléas distills the essence of Debussy’s only opera into a luminous, dreamlike journey through secrecy, longing, and fate.
Based on Maurice Maeterlinck’s symbolist play, the opera follows the tangled love and jealousy between Prince Golaud, his mysterious wife Mélisande, and his half-brother Pelléas. With its evocative harmonies and atmospheric power, this adaptation offers a fresh and deeply affecting way to encounter one of French opera’s greatest masterpieces.
Program Information
Welcome Note
Since its founding in 1867, Boston Conservatory has stood at the forefront of artistic progress. It was among the first conservatories in America to admit women and people of color, the first to establish an opera training program, and the first to offer a degree in musical theater. That same spirit of inclusion and innovation continues to shape every note we sing, every story we tell, and every artist we nurture.
In the Vocal Arts Department—home to the nation’s oldest and most forward-looking opera training program—students, faculty, and guest artists come together to explore opera not as a museum art piece, but as a living, breathing language of our time. Across twelve graduate and undergraduate degree paths in performance, pedagogy, and choral artistry, our students honor centuries of tradition while fearlessly charting the future of formal conventions.
That dual commitment—to heritage and to innovation—animates our 2025–2026 mainstage season. We begin with Marc Adamo’s Little Women, whose lyrical intimacy and emotional depth bring new dimension to Alcott’s timeless tale. In February, we enter the shimmering, symbolist world of Debussy’s Impressions de Pelléas et Mélisande, a distilled vision of love and mystery rendered in exquisite color and restraint. And in April, we present the East Coast and collegiate premiere of Time to Act by Laura Kaminsky and Crystal Manich—a bold new work that confronts grief, resilience, and the urgency of social change. After its Boston performances, Time to Act will travel to National Sawdust in Brooklyn to record the work for commercial release—placing our students on a national stage and affirming Boston Conservatory’s leadership in contemporary opera. Our Opera Innovators Series—a partnership with Boston Lyric Opera—deepens this mission, welcoming visionaries such as Riccardo Frizza, Karen Slack, Brenda Rae, and Anne Bogart.
If you find yourself moved by what you hear tonight and wish to be part of our journey, I warmly invite you to reach out—either to our offices or to me personally. We would be delighted to connect with you, to share our vision, and to explore how your
partnership can help us continue shaping the future of vocal artistry.
Thank you for your presence, your applause, and your belief in what we do.
Dr. Isai Jess Muñoz
Chair, Vocal Arts Department
Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Director's Note
The story unfolds in the shadowy kingdom of Allemonde, where the mysterious Mélisande is found weeping by a forest spring by Golaud, who marries her and brings her home. There she forms a fragile, unspoken bond with Pelléas, Golaud’s half-brother. Love emerges almost unconsciously, and jealousy grows into violence, leading to Pelléas’s death and Mélisande’s quiet, enigmatic passing. The plot is simple, but its emotional resonance lies in what is left unsaid.
Rejecting the operatic conventions of arias, set pieces, and vocal display, Debussy sought a new kind of lyric drama: one that mirrors natural speech and inner thought. The vocal lines often follow the inflections of French language with remarkable subtlety, hovering between speech and song. Moments of heightened lyricism emerge organically, but never disrupt the flow of the drama. Silence and restraint are as expressive as sound.
When the opera premiered in Paris in 1902, it provoked controversy. Admirers hailed its originality and poetic beauty, while detractors found it anti-dramatic and bewildering. Yet, its influence on twentieth-century music and opera has been profound, shaping new approaches to harmony, orchestration, and the relationship between text and music. More than a century later, Pelléas et Mélisande remains a unique operatic experience. It does not seek to overwhelm but to draw the listener inward. Its power lies in suggestion rather than declaration, inviting audiences to inhabit a world where meaning flickers like light on water and where the deepest emotions are often the quietest.
—Nathan Troup, Director
About the Series
Genevieve reads aloud to her father, the ancient King Arkel, a letter she has received from her son, Prince Golaud. Golaud has married Mélisande, a mysterious and beautiful woman he met in the woods. Fearing Arkel’s wrath, Golaud instructs his younger brother Pelléas to leave a lantern lit in the tower facing the sea if Arkel will accept his marriage, so that Golaud knows he and Mélisande can return. Arkel accepts the marriage, and Pelléas leaves the lantern lit for Golaud.
The castle gardens
Genevieve and Mélisande stroll in the gardens, and Mélisande remarks on how dark they are. Pelléas joins them as a storm rolls in, and Mélisande predicts that the ship they can see in the harbor will soon sink. Genevieve leaves to take care of Yniold, Golaud’s son from his previous marriage, while Pelléas and Mélisande navigate a steep path out of the wind.
A well near a park
Pelléas brings Mélisande to the “Blind Man’s Well,” now abandoned but once fabled to restore sight to those with failing eyes. The pair converse as Mélisande plays with the ring Golaud has given her, tossing it up in the air. She accidentally tosses the ring into
the fountain, and Pelléas encourages her to tell Golaud the truth about what happened.
A room in the castle
Golaud lays in bed, wounded from an accident with his horse, as Mélisande looks after him. Mélisande tells Golaud of her unhappiness living in the castle. When he goes to comfort Mélisande, Golaud notices the ring he gave her is missing, and commands her to take Pelléas and go look for it.
A castle tower
Mélisande combs her hair from the window of one of the castle’s towers. Pelléas, planning to leave the following morning, comes to the tower to say goodbye. Pelléas asks to kiss her hand but is enveloped by her long and lustrous hair when she reaches for him. This awakens his passion for her, which is quickly interrupted by Golaud, who chastises the pair as though they were children.
The castle vaults
Pelléas and Golaud enter the castle’s vaults, which smell of death. As they return from the vaults, Golaud warns Pelléas to stay away from Mélisande.
Near the castle walls
Outside the castle, Golaud uses Yniold to help him spy on Pelléas and Mélisande. Yniold’s descriptions, while largely unhelpful, give Golaud the sense that there is something between the couple. Frustrated with Yniold, Golaud storms off.
A room in the castle
Arkel tries to comfort Mélisande in her sadness. Golaud enters and is angered by Mélisande’s innocent image. He throws her to the ground and drags her about the room by her hair.
Outside the castle
Mélisande goes to meet Pelléas outside the castle to say goodbye. They are struck by their love for one another. The castle gates suddenly close, and they hear Golaud stalk them from the shadows. Pelléas and Mélisande embrace one last time before Golaud
charges at them, striking and killing Pelléas with his sword. Mélisande runs away.
A room in the castle
Mélisande lies in bed. Golaud feels immense regret over what he has done, and asks for Mélisande’s forgiveness. In her delirium, Mélisande cannot give him the closure he desires. Golaud despairs as Mélisande passes away. Arkel remarks on the deep sadness of the whole affair.
Cast
GENEVIÈVE – Nina Gojcaj^, Aubrey Bosse*
GOLAUD – Jon Motes, Xander McRae*
MÉLISANDE – Cristina Rosheger, Brenna McFarland* (Cover: Emma Rogers)
ARKEL – Jared Kellman-Medina, Yanghao Liu*
PELLÉAS – Robert Kleinertz, John Tuvera Lim*
YNIOLD – Gloria Tang, Grace Kang* (Cover: Avery Ross)
*Friday/Sunday Cast
^Boston Conservatory at Berklee alum
Orchestra
Oksana Glouchko
PIANO II
Yuseok Seol
About the Artists
Nathan Troup, stage director, is a distinguished opera creator and collaborator based in Boston, Massachusetts, recognized for his innovative contributions to the arts. His work has garnered Best of Boston accolades in 2009 and 2014, a New England Independent Reviews Award nomination, an Emmy award, and multiple awards from the National Opera Association. Troup holds production credits with Los Angeles Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Ireland’s Wexford Festival, Eugene Opera, Opera Montana, Glimmerglass, Wolf Trap Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Arizona Opera, and Opera Omaha. Hometown credits and collaborations include Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood, Emmanuel Music, Guerilla Opera, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Institute of Contemporary Art, the Boston Public Library, Museum of Fine Arts, and TEDxNewEngland. He’s been guest faculty at New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, UMass Amherst, and currently serves as professor of opera at Boston Conservatory, lecturer in opera at the Boston University Opera Institute, and guest faculty stage director at the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory. Previous directing credsits for Boston Conservatory include L’enfant et les Sortilèges, L'heure espagnole, Transformations, The Rape of Lucretia, The Rake’s Progress, La traviata, Le nozze di Figaro, Alcina, Dark Sisters, and many more. Learn more about Troup.
Demitra Ypsilantis, assistant director, is a Greek American soprano, assistant stage manager, and assistant director from New Jersey. Recent production credits include Mozart’s Così fan tutte at Boston Conservatory and As You Like It with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. She is currently earning her Bachelor of Music in voice with an opera emphasis at Boston Conservatory, studying with Kathryn Wright. She will also be assisting David Gately on the premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s Time to Act this spring.
Cristina Todesco, scenic designer, is a stage designer working in both theater and film and has collaborated with Actors Shakespeare Project, Company One, Capital Rep, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Huntington Theatre, New England Conservatory, Shakespeare and Company, Boston Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall and Tanglewood, among many more. She is the recipient of four Elliot Nortons and one IRNE Award for outstanding design and teaches at Boston University. Learn more about Todesco.
Jeff Adelberg, lighting designer, is responsible for over 350 productions in New England and beyond, including over 40 here at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Other recent work includes Our Class and The Dybbuk (-Arlekin!); Angels in America parts one and two, and Hamlet (The Gamm Theatre); and every season of Boston’s annual Midwinter Revels since 2010. Adelberg attended the University of Connecticut and teaches at Harvard University and Boston College. He is a member of United Scenic Artists 829. Learn more about Adelberg.
Chloe Moore, costume designer, is a Boston-based designer and educator for opera, theater, and Dance. Recent Boston Conservatory credits include Così fan tutte, Mother Ocean, L’Etoile, and From the Ground Up (2024). Her work has been seen throughout Boston in productions for Wheelock Family Theatre (Annie, SpongeBob), CHUANG Stage (The Ceremony), White Snake Projects (Let’s Celebrate!, Is This America?), A.R.T., Central Square Theater, Boston Early Music Festival, and Boston Playwrights Theater. In addition to her design work, she has held faculty appointments at Shenandoah University, Boston University, and Emerson College, where she currently teaches as part of the theater design and production program. Learn more about Moore.
Production Credits
Artistic Director – Isaì Jess Muñoz
Dean of Music – Kevin Haden
Chair of Vocal Arts – Isaì Jess Muñoz
Conductor – Andrew Bisantz
Stage Director – Nathan Troup
Assistant Director – Demitra Ypsilantis
Scenic Designer – Cristina Todesco
Lighting Designer – Jeff Adelberg
Costume Designer – Chloe Moore
Fight and Intimacy Director – Patrick Fretwell
Wig Designer – Rachel Padula-Shufelt
Production Stage Manager – Leanna Niesen
Assistant Stage Managers – Adrian Speth, Kendra Waugh
Surtitle Operator – Abigail Nordan
Surtitle Designer – Brenna McFarland
Fly Console Operator – Avery Hunt
Coaching and Musical Preparation – Jean Anderson, Laurann Gilley
Rehearsal Pianists – Eoin Clark, Oksana Glouchko
Assistant Conductor – Grigori Balasanyan
Vocal Arts Liaison – Patricia Au
PRODUCTION STAFF:
Director of Performance Services – Hanna Oravec
Assistant Director of Production – Becca Donald
Technical Director – Taylor Kaufman
Assistant Technical Director – Caleb D. Harris
Lighting Supervisor – Jacob Inman
Production Electrician – Nate Morrissey
Projection Technician – Grace Kroeger
Properties Manager – Hannah Spangler
Properties Fabricator – Sara LaFever
Audio Supervisor – Andrei Radu
Audio Engineers – Maddy Poston, Jessica Hawkins
Costume Shop Manager – Alison Pugh
Wardrobe Manager – Blue Barber
Wardrobe Assistant – Natasha Newcomb
Costume Stock Manager/Draper/Stitcher – Kathy Scott
Draper/Stitchers – Sam Martin, Evan Petrow
Stitchers – Aryn Murphy
Costume Production Assistant – Jackie Olivia
Costume Shop Intern – Gavin Wills
Fly Console Operator – Nick LaRosa
Scenic Fabrication – J. Pizzuti
Assistant Director of Concert Services – Luis Herrera
Production Manager, Concert Services – Kendall Floyd
Coordinator, Concert Services – Matthew Carey
Production Technicians – Addie Pates, Jude Riley, Hannah Jope, Hazen Polsonetti, Morgan Rotman, Thomas Fowler, Vir Gupta, Paul Vekiarides, Derek Putnam, Buzz Korolenko, Hannah Ashe, Sami Parazin, Sandy Doll, Nick LaRosa, Mac Weaver
TPP Professor – Cassie Seinuk
Senior Ticket Operations and Patron Services Manager – Kelly Brennan
House Manager – Inesh Krishnamurthy, Zoe Larrimer
STUDENT PRODUCTION STAFF:
TPP Student Crew – Amanda Powell, Aidan Richardson, Ashlee Fucarino, Sarah Baglin, Ethan Baker, Serenity Franke
Production Assistants – Judah Woomer, Milo Darlington, Naman Kasana, Valeria Caicedo, Matt Logos, Victoria McDougall, Danny
Hernandez, Gavin Sexton, Isabelle Costanzo
Student Costume Shop Assistants – Elizabeth Hillman, Clara Palmadottir, Ellie Sawyer
CONCERT SERVICES STAFF:
Assistant Director, Concert Services – Luis Herrera
Coordinator, Concert Services – Matthew Carey
Concert Production Manager – Kendall Floyd
Performance Technology Technicians – Sara Pagiaro, Goran Daskalov
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