The Pearl Fishers (Les Pêcheurs de Perles) Georges Bizet - Opera Plot

Georges Bizet’s opera Les Pêcheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers)

• Opera composed: 1863
• Opera’s first performance: the Théâtre-Lyrique in Paris in 1863
• Opera’s libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré
• Setting of the Opera: Ceylon, which is now Sri Lanka
• opera in three acts
• Language: French

Characters from the Bizet’s Opera, The Pearl Fishers:
• Zurga, King of the pearl fishers (baritone)
• Nadir, childhood friend of Zuriga and a pearl fisher (tenor)
• Leïla, a priestess (soprano)
• Nourabad, high priest (bass)

The Plot of the Bizet’s opera, The Pearl Fishers:

Act I (plot summary)
Zurga is elected as king by the pearl fishers. They all await the arrival of a veiled priestess, who is to protect them. Nadir, Zurga’s childhood friend, arrives. At one time both Zurga and Nadir had been in-love with the same girl, Leïla. They both agree to put aside their past love for Leïla and swear upon their friendship. The priestess arrives and is received by the high priest, Nourabad. She is reminded that she must keep her identity hidden and that she is not to take a lover. Nadir hears her and recognizes her as his love Leïla.

Act II (plot summary)

The pearl fishers return to the beach in Ceylon safely. Leïla tells the high priest a story about a time when she once rescued a man. The man she saved gave her a necklace, which she still has today. Nadir, overhears this story and is convinced this is the girl that he and Zurga used to fight over. Now alone, Leïla senses that Nadir is hear, and when she does see him, their affair is instantly rekindled. She begs him to leave, as she knows that they cannot be caught together. At that moment, Nourabad catches them and identifies Nadir. The fishers all call for both of their deaths. Zurga replies that only he can order them to death. Nourabad rips off Leïla’s veil revealing her identity to all. Zurga, sees that he has been betrayed by Nadir, condemns them both to death by fire.

Act III (plot summary)

That evening, Zurga is having regrets about his decision. When Leïla appears before dawn, he cannot help but reveal his own love for her. She begs him to spare Nadir and only take her life, pleading that their meeting was only by chance. Zurga tells her that he can do no such thing, because she still loves Nadir. She curses him and as the sun is coming up, the time for the execution is announced. As she is ready to die, she reveals her necklace and asks that it be given to her mother after she dies. Zurga recognizes the necklace as the one that he gave her when she rescued him. Leïla and Nadir say their final farewell. Zurga, thinking better of his actions, has lit a fire in the village as a distraction. This fire sends the pearl fishers scattering in fear and allows the lovers to escape, much to the displeasure of Nourabad.