Our Opera Lovers Group met on Thursday 26 March 2026 for a most enjoyable performance of Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers. The performance was a recording of the 2016 production by the Metropolitan Opera and Chorus. The production starred Mariusz Kwiecien as Zurga, Matthew Polenzani as Nadir, Diana Damrau as Leila and Nicolas Testé as Nourabad. The orchestra was under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda.

The opera is famous for the Pearl Fishers Duet which comes in the first act, when Zurga and Nadir pledge their friendship to each other, not realising that they were in love with the same girl in the past called Leila. Fate plays its cruel hand, and the girl they both loved arrives in the village as the High Priestess of the temple who has to live alone in the temple and away from all contact with others.

During one evening, Nadir recognises the voice of Leila and passion ensues but is interrupted by the High Priest Nourabad. Zurga, who is now the village leader, decides that Nadir must die in recompense for his misdeeds. Leila is then recognised by Zurga, and Leila offers herself as sacrifice rather than see Nadir die.

The love triangle is finally resolved, but not before there has been wonderful singing, high drama, and the village being burned to the ground. To learn how this triangle is resolved, you will have to see the opera!

The staging is extremely clever with a water-filled harbour appearing, and pearl divers swimming down to the depths from the surface.

Our next opera will be Carmen on Thursday 28 May 2026 and will also be on by Georges Bizet.