Les Pêcheurs de Perles

LES PECHEURS DE PERLES Les Pêcheurs de perles launched Bizet's operatic career, even though the work was not enthusiastically received at its premiere, remaining, according to the composer himself, "an honourable but brilliant failure". Written when he was only twenty-five, influences of Gounod and Verdi can be detected. Although the story takes place in Ceylon – while the young musician never left Paris – the music has no local colour. And yet, through its arias – including Nadir's famous romance "Je crois entendre encore" – and very melodic duets and choruses, Bizet evokes an oriental reverie dominated by sentiment and youth. This sensual score has everything to captivate the inventiveness of Pierre-André Weitz, a loyal collaborator of Olivier Py, who will here take on the roles of director, set designer, and costume designer. For this work that exalts youth, Pretty Yende will lend her vocal and stage ease to an endearing Leïla, Amitai Pati will continue his brilliant conquest of French singing, while Florian Sempey is expected to demonstrate his vocal authority as Zurga. In the pit, Marc Minkowski and his Musiciens du Louvre will once again delight us with their communicative energy.

New production

Co-production Théâtre des Champs-Élysées | Opéra National du Rhin

In partnership with france.tv and Le Figaro

Cast:

Marc Minkowski | conductor

Pierre-André Weitz | stage direction, set design, costumes

Ivo Bauchiero | choreography

Bertrand Killy | lighting

Pretty Yende | Leïla

Amitai Pati | Nadir

Florian Sempey | Zurga

Sulkhan Jaiani | Nourabad

Les Musiciens du Louvre

Aedes | chorus master Mathieu Romano