Long overshadowed by her towering legacy as one of the 20th century’s most influential music teachers, Nadia Boulanger’s creative voice as a composer is rediscovered in La ville morte (The Dead City) – a haunting opera of passion, loss, and psychological intensity. Composed in collaboration with Raoul Pugno and based on a libretto by Gabriele D’Annunzio, the work was originally slated for its world premiere in Paris in 1914, but the outbreak of World War I silenced it before it could be heard. More than a century later, this long-buried score rises from obscurity, where forgotten desires return to life against the backdrop of ancient ruins.

Set in the crumbling city of Mycenae, the opera explores obsession, betrayal, and blurred boundaries, its emotional landscape shaped by impressionistic orchestral textures and arioso-style intimacy reminiscent of both Debussy and Wagner. Here, Boulanger reveals a daring and expressive side that transcends her image as the stern guardian of musical tradition.

This landmark recording marks the PENTATONE debut of soprano Melissa Harvey, mezzo-soprano Laurie Rubin, tenor Joshua Dennis, baritone Jorell Williams, the Talea Ensemble, and conductor Neal Goren. The orchestration—by Joseph Stillwell and Stephan Cwik under the supervision of David Conte—breathes new life into the long-silent score. A co-production between Catapult Opera and the Greek National Opera, La ville morte not only resurrects Boulanger’s compositional brilliance but also secures her place in the modern operatic repertoire.