The Pearl Fishers 16+

Georges Bizet's opera "The Pearl Fishers," staged by the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theater. The opera premiered on June 21, 2017.

The opera is one of the composer's early works, written at the age of 24 to a libretto by Michel Carré and Eugène Cormon.

"The Pearl Fishers" was first performed on September 30, 1863, at the Théâtre Lyrique de Paris. It received a warm reception from the Parisian public, but drew mixed reviews from critics. Perhaps this is why the first production of the opera was performed only 18 times before it disappeared from the theater's repertoire.

Until the end of the 20th century, the opera was rarely performed.

Despite the existence of two versions of the score, the traditional and the recreated, the theater chose the first version. It is performed in French.

Zurga and Nadir love the same girl. To avoid becoming enemies, they separate. Their beloved, Leila, has taken a vow of chastity and become a priestess, assisting pearl divers with her singing. Zurga is elected chieftain, and Nadir returns. He realizes he still loves Leila. Her heart, too, has not yet cooled. Nadir strives to smuggle her out of the clifftop temple. As soon as he enters the temple, he is seized by order of the priest Nurabad. Zurga wants to save his friend, but upon learning that the priestess who broke her vow is Leila, he decides not to interfere. But suddenly, he recognizes Leila's necklace as the one who once saved his life, and he distracts the villagers by setting their huts on fire. Nadir and Leila manage to escape. By order of the priest, Zurga is thrown into the fire.

Musical Director and Conductor - Artem Makarov;

Stage Director - Pavel Sorokin (Rostov-on-Don);

Set Designer - Ernst Heidebrecht (Germany);

Symphony Orchestra of the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theater, Choir, and Ballet Company;

Conductor - Marat Akhmet-Zaripov.

Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theater

Premiere Date: June 21, 2017