Nadia Boulanger - La ville morte (Neal Goren)

Information

Composer: Nadia Boulanger; Raoul Pugno

• La ville morte

Melissa Harvey, soprano

Laurie Rubin, mezzo-soprano

Joshua Dennis, tenor

Jorell Williams, baritone

Catapult Opera

Talea Ensemble

Neal Goren, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Pentatone

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Nadia Boulanger’s long-overlooked voice as a composer is rediscovered in La ville morte, a psychologically charged opera of passion and loss co-written with Raoul Pugno to a libretto by Gabriele D’Annunzio. Planned for a 1914 Paris premiere but silenced by World War I, the work now emerges more than a century later. Set in the ruins of Mycenae, the opera explores obsession and betrayal through richly expressive, impressionistic textures recalling Debussy and Wagner. This landmark world premiere recording features an international cast, the Talea Ensemble, and conductor Neal Goren, bringing renewed life to a forgotten masterpiece.

Neal Goren is a distinguished conductor, writer, and educator best known as the founder and Artistic Director of Gotham Chamber Opera, where he played a pivotal role in establishing chamber opera as a respected operatic genre. Over fifteen years, he conducted all 27 Gotham productions, including major world and U.S. premieres, often presented in innovative, site-specific settings and collaborations with leading artists from theater, dance, and visual arts. Goren has conducted widely in the United States and Europe, is a sought-after recital accompanist, and has collaborated with many of the world’s leading singers. He has taught at Mannes College since 1991 and is the author of Beyond the Aria.