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Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers) is an opera in three acts by Georges Bizet, to a...

Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers) is an opera in three acts by Georges Bizet, to a libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré. It was first performed on 30 September 1863 at the Théâtre Lyrique (Théâtre-Lyrique du Châtelet) in Paris. Bizet's most successful opera apart from Carmen, it is notable for its colorful and exotic orchestration, and for its great friendship duet, Au fond du Temple Saint, one of the most famous in all opera. It is still regularly performed. The action takes place in Ceylon. The local fishermen elect Zurga as their leader. Nadir returns to the village, and he and Zurga recall how their friendship was once threatened when they both fell in love with an unknown priestess. They swear eternal friendship. The priestess Leila arrives for a vigil of prayer for the safety of the fishermen, and Nadir recognizes her as the woman he and Zurga had loved. In the night, he goes to her and they acknowledge their love for one another, but they are caught by the high priest Nourabad. For breaking her vow of chastity, she and Nadir are condemned to death. Zurga, feeling jealous and betrayed, discovered that in the past Leila had saved his life, and sets fire to the