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GEORGES BIZET
(1838-1875)
highlights from
The Pearl Fishers
79:00
Opera in Three Acts
Libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré
English translation by David Parry
from Act I
1.
Prelude
1:54
No. 1a, Introductioin
2.
'At the break of day with the waves at play'
3:32
Chorus
No. 1b, Scene and Chorus
3.
'My friends, yoiu must delay your dances'
4:03
Zurga, Chorus, Nadir
No. 1 c, Recitative and Chorus reprise
4.
'Stay here and live with us, Nadir'
2:14
Zurga, Nadir, Chorus
No. 2a, Recitative
5.
'At last I have found you again!'
2:37
Zurga, Nadir
No. 2b, Duet
6.
'Then from the holy shrine'
7:11
Nadir, Zurga
No. 4a, Recitative
7.
'Hearing her voice my soul is a cauldron of passion!'
1:24
Nadir
No. 4b, Romance
8.
'Again her voice will haunt me'
3:11
No. 5, Air and Chorus
9.
'Brahma the god, sovereign of the world'
5:31
Leïla, Chorus, Nadir
from Act II
No. 7, Recitative and Cavatina
10.
'I am alone here in the night'
6:50
Leïla
No. 8, Chanson
11.
'My love was weeping while she was sleeping'
1:53
No. 9, Duo
12.
'Leïla! Leïla!'
6:49
Nadir, Leïla
from Act III
No. 11, Entr'acte, Recitative and Air
13.
'The storm has run its course'
6:22
Zurga
No. 12a, Recitative
14.
'(She is here! My heart… is pounding…)'
1:07
Zurga, Leïla
No. 12b, Duo
15.
'(I would speak, but I cannot)'
10:03
Leïla, Zurga, Chorus
No. 14, Scene and Duo
16.
'Spirits of dreaful night'
4:46
Nourabad, Chorus, Nadir, Leïla
Bonus tracks
No. 15, Trio (posthumous ending)
17.
'Sacred light of being'
4:03
Leïla, Nadir, Zurga
No. 2b, Duet (posthumous ending)
18.
'Then from the holy shrine'
5:19
Nadir, Zurga
Solo:Rebecca Evans soprano - Leïla
Choral: Geoffrey Mitchell Choir
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor:Brad Cohen
10-12 September 2007
Notes
BIZET: THE PEARL FISHERS – HIGHLIGHTS
Bizet’s exotic opera The Pearl Fishers is not as well known as Carmen but contains a wealth of attractive music, including the popular duet ‘Au fond du Temple saint’ (Then from the holy shrine). This duet has been voted one of the UK’s favourite tunes and whilst most people will not know the title they will certainly recognise the music. Rebecca Evans, Barry Banks, Simon Keenlyside and Alastair Miles are accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the young Australian conductor Brad Cohen who produced a new edition of Bizet’s original score of 1863 for this recording.
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Reviews
Keenlyside, as so often happens in his recordings, is the star here. This is, I believe, his debut in Chandos’ Opera in English series, and worth the long wait. In terrific voice, he projects immediate strength and appeal the moment he begins to sing.
International Record Review
Keenlyside is authoritative as the tormented Zurga and Banks is wonderfully passionate as his rival in love
Classic FM Magazine
It was Rebecca Evans’s Gretel, who took the honours. Spinning out radiant lines of delicious purity, she made it hard to see how the role could be sung better
The Times
Barry Banks contrasts well with Simon Keenlyside’s tempestuous, heart-torn Zurga: their fraught friendship totally convinces. Alastair Miles exudes the magisterial utterance one wants in a Brahmin priest. Cohen and the London Philharmonic lead us into a sound-picture that reveals depth upon depth of ear-catching scene-painting. At 79 minutes this disc gives you the pearl in Bizet’s oyster.
Opera
Barry Banks and Simon Keenlyside, singing the aria in English as ‘then from the holy shrine’, do Bizet proud. The voices meld through the big tune, producing a hearfelt hymn to friendship. And Brad Choen conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra, almost makes you believe it’s the first time you’ve heard the celebrated melody for harp and flute solo that introduce the duet. This is an opera crammed with delectable tunes and duets…
BBC Music Magazine
The star however is Rebecca Evan’s Leila, exquisitely beautiful of tone, immaculate technically and getting a lot of the words across. This deserves to fly off the shelves and out of the shopping websites
The Sunday Times
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