Composer

:

Madeleine Dring

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Average_duration

:

2:49

Mélisande, The Far Away Princess is a one-act opera composed by Madeleine Dring. It was composed in 1956 and premiered on 22nd November 1956 at the Royal College of Music in London. The libretto was written by Edward Sackville-West and is based on the play Pelléas et Mélisande by Maurice Maeterlinck. The opera consists of six movements and is scored for a small orchestra of 13 players. The first movement, titled "The Castle", sets the scene with a haunting melody played by the strings. The second movement, "The Forest", features a lively and playful tune played by the woodwinds. The third movement, "The Fountain", is a delicate and ethereal piece featuring the harp and celesta. The fourth movement, "The Tower", is a tense and dramatic piece featuring the brass and percussion. The fifth movement, "The Sea", is a sweeping and majestic piece featuring the strings and woodwinds. The final movement, "The Death of Mélisande", is a somber and mournful piece featuring the strings and harp. The opera tells the story of Mélisande, a mysterious and beautiful princess who is found wandering in the forest by Prince Golaud. Golaud takes her back to his castle and marries her, but she soon falls in love with Golaud's half-brother Pelléas. The two begin a secret affair, but their love is doomed from the start. Golaud discovers their relationship and kills Pelléas in a fit of jealousy. Mélisande dies shortly after, leaving Golaud to mourn his loss. Dring's music for Mélisande, The Far Away Princess is characterized by its lush harmonies, delicate textures, and evocative melodies. She uses a variety of instrumental colors to create a rich and varied sound world, from the haunting strings in the opening movement to the majestic brass in the fifth movement. The opera's themes of love, jealousy, and death are conveyed through Dring's expressive and emotional music, making Mélisande, The Far Away Princess a powerful and moving work.

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