Going in to Washington Concert Opera’s production of The Pearl Fishers on Saturday, I had low expectations as this was the composer’s first major opera to be produced professionally.
My expectations were exceeded.
One wonders at the exoticism Bizet employed here by setting the opera in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), but even in concert form, The Pearl Fishers is still a compelling work. It has what feels like a shorter overture than the composer’s magnum opus Carmen, but similarly opens the show with a fabulous chorus, and the chorus sustained their fabulousness throughout all three acts. Act I is also where we get some indications that this is one of Bizet’s earlier works, such as some of the transitions that feel abrupt.
First among the principal cast to appear was Will Liverman as Zurga, the leader-elect of the pearl fishers. One can understand from Liverman’s voice and bearing why the chorus wants him to lead. His is a powerful presence with a powerful baritone voice to match that easily carries over the orchestra even at its loudest, but also is sensitive enough to sing the beautiful “Au fond du temple saint” with Anthony León as Nadir. Speaking of the famous duet, it deserves the hype. León has a tenor voice that is beautiful enough to make one cry, and impresses with how softly he can sing while still fully connected to his entire instrument. His “Je crois entendre encore” felt so easy for him and I loved it. He really could have knocked me over with a feather.
The plot presents a strange conflict, with Zurga and Nadir as childhood friends promising the other to stay away from the priestess they both admired for the sake of their friendship. In the end, it turns out that both have been in love with her, with the priestess in question favoring Nadir, and Zurga, though initially murderous with jealousy, helps them both escape death by burning.
The priestess, Léïla, played by Emily Pogorelc, re-enters their lives vowing to Zurga, who does not recognize her due to the veil she wears, that she will remain virginal under penalty of death. One feels terrible for her having to give up her freedom and the possibility of love and risk that penalty.
Pogorelc looked virginal indeed in a fabulous yet somehow still subtle light gold gown and shawl. Vocally, I particularly enjoyed her trills and runs, but she really sold her performance with her acting. She seemed to bring a bit more staging to the production, but more importantly given the relative lack of staging overall, I could feel her and the rest of the cast’s intentions. Something came alive when she entered, and the bits of staging with her made best use of the orchestral interludes.
Speaking of the orchestra, special attention must be given to the music direction by Antony Walker. Not only was it expressive, but also Walker really stayed with the singers and gave clear cues to both them and the orchestra.
Bizet’s music improves as the score progresses. “Au fond du temple saint” includes plenty of dramatic tension, and we get more of that in the second and third acts, such as when Nadir finds Léïla in the ruins of an old temple, and after a tense moment they sing a lovely, sweet, and ultimately very human-feeling love duet. They then get caught by Nourabad, played by Christian Isaiah Simmons, who delivers as always, and a dramatic chorus ensues. I loved how huge the sound got from everyone at the end of the second act.
The third act is where the plot gets a little absurd when Zurga starts confessing his love to Léïla as well, but the duet between them was amazing, again giving us the drama we want both in character and voice. Zurga then decides to set a fire that threatens the community, and the chorus rushes to save what they can of their lives and homes. With the chorus gone, Zurga sets the Léïla and Nadir free. The couple’s farewell to Zurga at the end could have been more heartfelt acting-wise, but to be fair the score does not allow the actors much time before the next cue.
Altogether this was a production of The Pearl Fishers that let the music and voices shine, and Washington Concert Opera once again proves its status as a stalwart, important company of the area, giving performances of works that might not otherwise get attention. Next season features Haydn’s Armida, Massenet’s Don Quichotte, and Bellini’s Il Pirata, so keep your eye out for the dates of their one-night-only performances.
Maggie Ramsey
The Pearl Fishers
Music by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré
Cast and Creative Team
Zurga – Will Liverman; Nadir – Anthony León; Léïla – Emily Pogorelc; Nourabad – Christian Simmons
Artistic Director and Conductor – Antony Walker; Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master – David Hanlon
Lisner Auditorium, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., March 14, 2026
Top image: Will Liverman as Zurga and Emily Pogorelc as Léïla
All photos by Yassine El Mansouri / Elman Studio