A pair of men take an oath of eternal friendship but their vow is threatened by their attraction to the same woman. The object of their rivalry faces her own dilemma, torn between worldly passion and her calling as a priestess. Their romantic triangle forms the heart of this 1863 opera, Les P cheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers), in which the composer of Carmen, the world's most popular opera, made his first mark.
Set in ancient Ceylon, this enchanting tale of friendship, love, and betrayal has been performed in opera houses around the world. The famous baritone/tenor duet in the second act is among the most recorded of opera highlights, and a copy of the full score is essential for conductors as well as for students of composition and orchestration. This large-format version of Bizet's three-act opera offers musicians an affordable alternative to high-priced, hard-to-find editions.