Les Pêcheurs de perles

Georges Bizet did not write only Carmen. Twelve years earlier, in 1863, the composer brought to the stage of the Théâtre Lyrique this story of friendship, rivalry and forbidden love set among the temples and fishing villages on the coasts of Sri Lanka. The duet “Au fond du temple saint” and Nadir’s dreamy aria “Je crois entendre encore” have remained in the repertoire, but in recent years the opera has returned to European stages thanks also to the fascination of its orchestration and the spectacular nature of its choral scenes. Last performed at La Scala in 1948 in Italian, Les Pêcheurs de perles returns in a new production marking the double debut of conductor Henrik Nánási and director Arnaud Bernard, together with a prestigious trio of voices.