Georges Bizet’s first opera, Les Pêcheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers), though not as popular as his opera Carmen, it still is performed around the world.
It is a French opera with a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré. Bizet wrote the work when he was 25 and it was first performed in 1863 at the Théâtre-Lyrique in Paris in 1863. Pearl Fishers is set in an exotic location and has several beautiful arias, duets and ensembles.
Most memorable is the first act duet between Zuriga and Nadir, Au fond du temple saint, considered one of the most beautiful and popular duets in operatic literature. The Opera takes place in Ceylon, which is now Sri Lanka and is in 3 acts.
This recording from YouTube.com features the incomparable Jussi Björling, who, if Waterford Crystal could sing, would sound like him, and the wonderful Robert Merrill, whom I had the privilege of seeing perform with the Metropolitan Opera as Monsieur Germont in "La Traviata."
This duet is my favorite, and I hope you will fall in love with it too.
Close your eyes and let their voices lift your hearts...
2 comments:
It is good but i will always favor Italian opera over all others.
what a stunning find. That cleansed me in a good way. Although my four year old thought it was to loud.
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