Press for Pelléas Redux

Eastman Scores With Comic Books, Martyrdom and Claude Achille Debussy

The Eastman School of Music did Claude Debussy and Rochester, New York proud this past weekend with an array of cultural presentations culminating in a multi-media recreation of the life, times and musical excitement that changed the course of classical music history. More ...

—Laurence Vittes, The Huffington Post

CLASSICAL: The many colors of Debussy

Fans of the works of Claude Debussy (1862-1918) should be sure to invite themselves to the "Prismatic Debussy" Festival, a month-long series of concerts, lectures, and displays taking place at the Eastman School of Music, held to celebrate the composer's 150th birthday. Highlights include premieres of recently discovered Debussy songs, new compositions inspired by Debussy's works, and the display of original manuscripts. Each concert will feature a different aspect of Debussy and his works, with concert titles like "Extravagant Debussy," "Inspirational Debussy," and "Intimate Debussy." More ...

—Paloma Capanna, Rochester City Newspaper

Announcements, October 15, 2012

HSoM faculty cellist Ken Lurie will perform at the Eastman School of Music on Friday, Oct. 26th in the premiere of "Pelléas Redux," a freshly reworked rendition of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande. Led by Eastman theory professor Matthew Brown, jazz professor Dariusz Terefenko, and Eastman alumnus Christopher Winders, a small ensemble of classical and jazz musicians replaces the singers and symphony orchestra. Projected panels of comic-book artist P. Craig Russell’s illustrations of the opera will accompany the performance.

—William L. Pelto, Ph.D. Dean, Hayes School of Music, Appalachian State University (link)

Press for artist P. Craig Russell

INTERVIEW: Award-winning illustrator P. Craig Russell

As part of the Eastman School of Music's month-long celebration of the music of composer Claude Debussy, ESM will present a free performance of "Pelléas Redux" Friday, October 26, at 8 p.m. at Kodak Hall in Eastman Theatre. A theatrical presentation of Maurice Maeterlinck's love-triangle-laden tragic play, “Pelléas & Mélisande,” featuring music from Debussy's operatic adaptation, the show will also include illustrations from the comic-book adaptation of the story by P. Craig Russell. The concert will be led by ESM music-theory professor Matthew Brown, and Russell's illustrations have been transformed into a motion comic for the event through the use of various digital techniques. More ...

—Rebecca Rafferty, Rochester City Newspaper

Eastman festival celebrates 150th anniversary of Debussy's birth

Panels from famed comic-book artist P. Craig Russell’s treatment of "Pelléas et Mélisande" will accompany a freshly reworked rendition of Debussy’s operatic masterpiece at 8 p.m. Oct. 26, in Kodak Hall. Titled “Pelléas Redux,” the performance replaces the singers and symphony orchestra with a chamber ensemble composed of Eastman faculty, alumni, and friends. Russell, who has based several of his comic books on famous operas, will talk about his work at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave. The talk is called “Comic Book Debussy.” More ...

—The Daily News Online

Press for Matthew Brown's book Debussy Redux

Debussy Redux at Amazon.com

Modern music, fed by many streams

Matthew Brown’s forthcoming “Debussy Redux’’ finds Debussy’s musical fingerprints on everyone from the 20th-century composers Bartok, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg to jazz legends Bix Beiderbecke and Chick Corea and to Martha Stewart. More ...

—Jeremy Eichler, The Boston Globe