The Dallas Opera 2021-2022 - The Barber of Seville/The Pearl Fishers

17 THE PEARL FISHERS 17 BIZET’S SHINING JEWEL Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers (Les pêcheurs de perles) has had an unusual performance history. Despite praise from the great Hector Berlioz, this work by a composer then only 24 years old had a less-than-triumphant premiere in Paris in 1863. After a brief initial run, it went unperformed for nearly 25 years. Its resurrection proved a success, but it still had to contend with the enormous popularity of Bizet’s masterpiece, Carmen . For most of the twentieth century, The Pearl Fishers was seldom performed outside France. But then a miracle happened, thanks to “The Duet,” a.k.a. “Au fond du temple saint,” for tenor and baritone. Its soaring main theme, when heard in films and commercials, had a huge impact internationally, leading the public to wonder where it came from. When that curiosity led major opera companies to investigate The Pearl Fishers , they concluded that there was a lot more to this glorious score than just one terrific duet! (TDO, when still Dallas’ Civic Opera, presented its first Pearl Fishers back in 1979.) Once operagoers began to experience this captivating musical romance onstage, they couldn’t hear it often enough. It’s now a pillar of the standard repertoire, and its ever-increasing popularity in major houses around the world has been a great joy for all who love French opera. By Roger Pines The Pearl Fishers , once a little-known rarity, has become a favorite of audiences worldwide PHOTO: LYNN LANE/HOUSTON GRAND OPERA