| Bizet, Georges (1838-1875) | Les Pêcheurs de perles | Libretto by Eugène Cormon, Michel Carré |
| Opera North | ||
| Matthew Kofi Waldren | Conductor | |
| Matthew Eberhardt | Director | |
| Joanna Parker | Set Designer, Costume Designer, Video Designer | |
| Peter Mumford | Lighting Designer, Video Designer | |
| Orchestra of Opera North | ||
| Chorus of Opera North | ||
| Nico Darmanin | Tenor | Nadir |
| Quirijn de Lang | Bass-baritone | Zurga |
| Sophia Theodorides | Soprano | Leïla |
| James Creswell | Bass | Nourabad |
A love triangle set against the backdrop of ancient Ceylon, The Pearl Fishers was part of a craze for an imagined Eastern exoticism in mid to late 19th century Europe. It tells the story of two men, Nadir and Zurga, whose vow of friendship founders on their love for the same woman, the priestess Léïla.
Whilst the plot may be riddled with improbable coincidences, the music brims with lyric beauty, imaginative orchestration, magnificent choruses and gorgeous melodies, nowhere more so than in what is perhaps the best-loved tenor/baritone duet in all opera, ‘Au fond du temple saint’.
This new concert staging of the opera in which Bizet found his distinctive voice as a composer is conducted by Matthew Kofi Waldren (Don Giovanni, La bohème) and directed by Matthew Eberhardt (Trouble in Tahiti, Street Scene).
Sung in French with English titles