At The Opera, Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, February 12, 2022
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Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers) is an opera in three acts by the French composer Georges Bizet, to a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré. It was premiered on September 30, 1863 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris, and was given 18 performances in its initial run. Set in ancient times on the island of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the opera tells the story of how two men's vow of eternal friendship is threatened by their love for the same woman, whose own dilemma is the conflict between secular love and her sacred oath as a priestess. The friendship duet "Au fond du temple saint", generally known as "The Pearl Fishers Duet", is one of the best-known in Western opera.
At the time of the premiere, Bizet was not yet 25 years old: he had yet to establish himself in the Parisian musical world. The commission to write Les pêcheurs arose from his standing as a former winner of the prestigious Prix de Rome. Despite a good reception by the public, press reactions to the work were generally hostile and dismissive, although other composers, notably Hector Berlioz, found considerable merit in the music. The opera was not revived in Bizet's lifetime, but from 1886 onwards it was performed with some regularity in Europe and North America, and from the mid-20th century has entered the repertory of opera houses worldwide.
Cast:
Leila - Barbara Hendricks
Nadir - John Aler
Zurga - Gino Quilico
Nourabad - Jean-Philippe Courtis
Orchestra and Chorus of the Capital of Toulouse
Michel Plasson - conductor
EMI - 1989
8:00 p.m.
Pietro Mascagni
Cavalleria rusticana, opera Intemezzo
Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony; Ondrej Lenard, conductor
8:15 p.m.
Barbara Hendricks
Georges Bizet
Les Pecheurs D Perles (The Pearl Fishers)
Capitole de Toulouse Barbara Hendricks
10:48 p.m.
Bjorling Merrill
Verdi
La forza del destino, opera: Solenne in quest'ora
10:52 p.m.
Bjorling Merrill
Otello, opera: Si, pel ciel
10:57 p.m.
Jussi Bjorling
Puccini
La Boheme duet Act 4
Robert Merrill
11:06 p.m.
George London
Wagner
Flying Dutchman
11:25 p.m.
Ewa Mallas Godlewska and Derek Lee Ragin
Ricardo Broschi
Music from the Film Farinelli Arias Written by Ricardo Broschi brother of Farinelli
Ewa Mallas Godlewska and Derek Lee Ragin
11:47 p.m.
Fritz Wunderlich
Mozart
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon - Berliner Symphoniker
11:54 p.m.
Pietro Mascagni
Cavalleria rusticana, opera Intemezzo
Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony; Ondrej Lenard, conductor
