The Pearl Fishers at the Lyric Opera

A mention of Bizet and one naturally thinks of the composer’s masterpiece Carmen, but he was not a one-hit wonder.  Ten years before that eventual favorite, in 1863 at the tender age of 24 he introduced Paris to a love story set on the island of Ceylon. 

A wandering adventurer arrives at a village of pearl fishermen and meets up with a long-lost friend.  Years ago they both loved the same woman, a priestess, but renounced that love to maintain their strong friendship.  Early in the story, before tensions develop, they sing one of the, if not the, most well-known and well-loved tenor-baritone duets in the Italian-French repertory – Au fond du temple saint.  I think the first version I ever heard was perhaps the most famous one of all, recorded in 1951 by tenor Jussi Björling and baritone Robert Merrill.

Then the priestess surprisingly reappears, under a pledge of chasteness, and conflict ensues.  The story is a relatively simple one, as opera goes, about love, loyalty, and honor.  And all along the way we are treated to sumptuous music and arresting visuals.  In addition to the famous duet already mentioned, of particular note are the wonderful soprano-tenor duet and soprano and tenor arias, and plentiful chorus singing, all a delight as our imagination is drawn to a faraway place and time.

This month the Lyric did a splendid job putting on this production.  The sets and lighting were very well-done, and those responsible deserve a special tip of the hat.  In fact the sets were perhaps the most colorful I've ever seen in an opera.  The singing was spectacular.  Latvian soprano Marina Rebeka was the priestess, American tenor Matthew Polenzani the fellow who wins the girl, and Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecien the odd man out.  The rest of the singers and especially the chorus were also terrific. 

This isn't ballet-saturated French Grand Opera, but Bizet was of that place so occasionally there was some dancing about, though it was generally uninteresting and ended just before it got annoying.

The Pearl Fishers was a flop when it premiered, standing it in good company with some other initial sleepers.  After an initial short run it was not revived in Bizet’s lifetime.  Well, those same Parisians pooh-poohed Berlioz’s masterpiece The Trojans that same year (the insightful Berlioz was perhaps the only music maven in Paris to have a good word to say about The Pearl Fishers).  The unfortunate Bizet went to his grave in his late 30s convinced that Carmen and The Pearl Fishers were both flops. 

Eventually the opera found its way into the repertory, but still today seems not highly regarded.  Apparently to the cognoscenti the libretto is not sophisticated enough and the score not complex enough – the opera is not as good as it sounds, they say, to borrow a phrase.  But after listening to the rich melodies while sitting in a darkened theater captivated by colorful sets, all an inviting stimulative to the imagination, I wonder – what do the experts really know?  Opera is too important to be left just to them.   

R Balsamo

An earlier related commentary:
Carmen at the Lyric Opera