"Pearl Fishers" is a tale of love, rivalry and friendship

The plot of "The Pearl Fishers" is essentially simple. Zurga, leader of the fishers, and Nadir are old friends, who in Act I meet after a long separation.

They recall the time, years before, when they encountered Leïla, whose beauty captivated them both — but when, to avoid damaging their friendship, they both swore to renounce their passion for her. Now a veiled woman is brought in, whose prayers will protect the fishermen as long as she remains true to her vow of virginity. No seasoned opera fan will need to be told that this is of course Leïla. Nadir, who has secretly continued to nurse his love despite the oath he shared with Zurga, recognizes her.

In Act II, escorted by the high priest Nourabad to the rock where she is to sing and pray, Leïla senses Nadir's nearness, and when he declares his love she does not reject him. But then, against the background of a gathering storm, Nourabad and his fakirs rush in and seize the pair. They are brought before Zurga, whose initial merciful impulse is to spare them — but when he recognizes Leïla, he retracts his pardon in uncontrollable fury.

Act III sees him consumed with remorse at having condemned his friend. Yet once again, when Leïla is brought before him and begs him to punish only her and to spare Nadir's life, the realization that she loves his rival rekindles his jealous rage. Then she gives a necklace to a young fisherman, asking him to pass it on to her mother, and Zurga recognizes it as the necklace he gave her years ago when, as a child, she bravely saved his life. Deciding after all to save both her and Nadir, he sets a fire in the village to distract the fishermen from their murderous intent. True to the overmastering claims of friendship, he watches the couple escape, bidding farewell to his own dreams of love — and, in the version of the ending used in this staging, he is shot by the returning Nourabad.

Bernard Jacobson