Debussy’s Melisande: The Lives of Georgette Leblanc, Mary Garden and Maggie Teyte

Debussy’s Melisande looks at the women involved in the creation of Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande, examining their colourful lives in turn and illustrating the prejudices and difficulties women singers of their era faced. The three women presented here were not only remarkable for the resilience and initiative they had to develop, but also for their willingness to adapt themselves to the opportunities offered by the emerging technologies of recording, radio and film. It is also the story of the background to the opera’s creation, and the frequently stormy relationships between the author of the original play (Maeterlinck), the composer, director, conductor and performers. This book will be of great interest to scholars and students of Debussy, opera, French music and theatre, Maeterlinck, and those interested in women’s studies and biography.