Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers was the second of three operas this season for Winter Opera Saint Louis, and it was a very satisfying production. The plot, rival lovers on the island of what is now Sri Lanka, reminds us that magical realism is standard in opera before the 20th Century. But plot is really not what anyone is there for – even theatre critics.
Andrew Pardini sings the role of Zurga, who’s elected head guy of the tribe for the year. His old friend Nadir, Spencer Viator, appears. There’d been bad blood over a woman a while back, but they decide to rebuild the friendship. As the fishing season begins, the local high priest, Richard Zuch, brings in the year’s new virgin priestess. Of course it’s the woman in question, Leila, sung by Sonja Krenek, but she’s veiled, so it takes a while for each of the men to realize just who she is. Zurga, presumably busy with leadership tasks, is particularly slow on the uptake. Virgin priestesses aren’t supposed to be messing about with boys, especially old boyfriends, but hormones will out. Leila recognizes Nadir, who’s the guy she really was crazy about and the furtive romance rekindles.
The voices are very good – there’s a duet between the two men that’s an opera classic, far less familiar to the outside world than the themes from Bizet’s better-known Carmen – and they make good use of the score. Krenek and Viator have lots of chemistry and Pardini’s eruption when he discovers the situation is well-played.
The chorus sounds good, although the dancers needed a little more work. Conductor Darwin Aquino makes great stuff with the orchestra. Scott Loebl’s simple sets work very well, classic in their spareness. But it’s JC Krajicek’s costumes that draw the eye constantly, an eruption of color in sinuous fabrics that shine the most, in some cases literally. Stage director Mark Freiman pulled his end of things together with considerable style, keeping the magical part from overwhelming the realism.
If you haven’t been to the Viragh Center at Chaminade, be aware that the acoustics are good, the seats are comfortable and there’s plenty of parking. The company’s choice is to have operas sung in the original language with English supertitles. The March production is Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, and as is customary for this company, it only plays one weekend. Something to consider.
Les Pecheurs de Perles/The Pearl Fishers
Winter Opera St. Louis