Die Perlenfischer

It is a great romantic opera about friendship, jealousy and betrayal. Georges Bizet, who later became famous as the composer of the opera "Carmen", gained great attention in 1863 with the opera "Les pêcheurs de perles". The opera, which garnered great success, is set among pearl fishermen in India who are engaged in dangerous diving work. And Georges Bizet delves into a mysterious, distant world with its own laws with this classic conflict about two men who love the same woman. Friends Zurga and Nadir meet again after many years among the pearl fishermen. Zurga was elected their leader, Nadir has been travelling for a long time; both once loved the same woman, Leïla, and in the interest of their friendship renounced this love. Now the conflict breaks out anew, because the priestess who is supposed to implore the benevolence of the gods for the fishermen in the temple is none other than Leïla. Despite the strictest prohibition, Leïla falls in love with Nadir in the temple. The deeply affected and furiously jealous Zurga is faced with a difficult decision: does he follow the law of the community and punish the lovers, or does he follow the law of love and betray the community? Does he give free rein to jealousy and hatred or does he act humanely? In this great romantic opera, Georges Bizet shows for the first time his entire musical art in melody, colour and atmosphere as well as the dramatic development of deep, emotional conflicts. Australian conductor Nicholas Carter makes his debut on the podium of the Gürzenich Orchester.