Georges BIZET (1838 - 1875)
Les Pêcheurs de perles, Opera in three acts (1863)
Lêïla, a prietess - Diana Damrau (soprano); Nadir, a huntsman in love with Lêïla – Matthew Polenzani (tenor); Zurga , chief of the pearl fishers also in love with Lêïla – Mariusz Kwiecien (baritone); Nourabad, high priest – Nicolas Tasté (bass)
Orchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera, New York/ Gianandrea Noseda
Stage Director: Penny Woolcock
Set Designer: Dick Bird
Costume Designer: Kevin Pollard
rec.
live January 2016
Video aspect 16:9 NTSC. Sound Formats, PCM Stereo. Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles, French, (original language), English, German and Spanish
Booklet essay in English, German and French.
ERATO DVD 9029 589361 [120.00]
In over fifty odd years of regular opera going I have
seen staged performances of Les Pêcheurs de perles only a couple
of times, yet it is an operatic name with echoes for many who have never
seen a staged opera, yet alone this one. This is because of one duet
from the work, that between Nadir and Zurga in act one, Au fond
du temple saint (Ch.8). It became famous because of a 1950s recording
by RCA of the duet featuring Swedish tenor Jussi Björling and American
baritone Robert Merrill. In the UK the duet regularly featured at number
one in the list of Your Hundred Best Tunes, a BBC radio broadcast
programme that ran for many years on Sunday evenings. I gather it enjoys
similar popularity in Australia today. Yet the performance on that RCA
record, is not as Bizet wrote, nor would it be found in any critical
edition based on the latest research. It was only in the1880s, after
the death of Bizet and the enormous popularity of Carmen, that Les
Pêcheurs de perles was performed again in France. At this time
Bizet’s publishers, Choudens, aware of the popularity of the duet,
allowed a verse reprise as well as other so called improvements. This
is the version heard in this performance to close act 1. The theme is
reprised at various and appropriate emotional moments throughout the
opera.
As far as performances generally are concerned it perhaps says much that this production from New York’s Metropolitan Opera is shared with the UK’s English National Opera and seen there in 2010. The New York premiere, on New Year’s Eve 2015, was the first time Les Pêcheurs de perles has been seen at that theatre since 1915 when the star trio of soloists included Caruso, Frieda Hempel and De Luca and was enthusiastically received. London’s Royal Opera House, perhaps prodded by their neighbours, staged two concert performances in 2010, a full staging has not been seen there for over ninety years.
Set in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, the staging in this production is modern with a touch of the orient in women’s dress and the constant placing of the hands together at face level and fingers upwards in the traditional manner.
All in all, this is no producer concept setting, but one that allows for imagination whilst being one that Bizet would recognise as his work, a welcome change from much that emanates from northern Europe these days, and welcome for that. The imaginative opening is as magical here as it was on the big screen at the live transmission at my local Cineworld. After that opening, act one is set in a series of vertical tiers. The population elect Zurga as their leader and swear to obey him with much palming of hands. Nadir arrives, tattoos on his bared arms and later declares his love for Lêïla (CH.12.). Matthew Polenzani takes the role with good Gallic style and appealing heady plangent tones that occasionally, passing through the passagio, border on a croon. At the Temple Lêïla unveils herself and sings her first aria as she dedicates to the spirits (CH.14). The aria is very high which Diana Damrau takes with consummate ease and trills to die for.
In act two, at the Temple Lêïla relates the story of her pearl and when left alone sings her aria of joy (CH.17). Again her singing and acted assumption is of the highest calibre, again with those trills. Some close ups, perhaps a little cruelly, showing she is no young virgin. Nadir arrives and they kiss. She pleads with him to, leave, but before he does so the priest Nourabad arrives and calls the population as the sea boils and Nadir is called traitor. Zirga, who also loves Lêïla arrives and says kill them both and the sea boils and a tsunami threatens via photographic reality (CHs.20-21).
The set for the final act seems to be a series of tenements, the homes of the populace who are protected by the gods. In his admin office Zurga agonises over his decision to kill both Lêïla and Nadir. Lêïla pleads for his life and the finale slowly emerges with the story of Lêïla’s pearl and the fire than consumes the homes (CHs 22-27).
Mariusz Kwiecien as Zurga sings and act with conviction to create a real person whose decisions are to govern the climax. His is a sturdy baritone, neither over covered nor too lean, but expressive to match his convincing acted portrayal. Nicholas Tasté as the priest Nourabad sings tastefully in good French whilst not being over sonorous. The chorus are quite magnificent in their acting and singing whilst on the podium Gianandrea Noseda is master of the idiom and the musical proceedings.
The presentation includes a multi coloured booklet with photographs and a synopsis in three languages. Regrettably there is no track listing.
Robert J Farr
