Philharmonia Orchestra, Stephane Degout, Philharmonia Voices, Monica Bacelli

Programme to include:

Claude Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande - opera in 5 acts

A performance of the magical Pelléas et Mélisande, Debussy's sole operatic masterpiece.

Set to a libretto adapted by Maurice Maeterlinck from his own play, Debussy's only opera develops with a mystical fluidity which allows the tragic love-triangle to unfold without resorting to set pieces or outbursts of vocal histrionics.

Puccini - who rather liked the work - aptly described Pelléas as 'sombre and pure, like a Franciscan's habit'.