ENO: The Pearl Fishers, 2016 ★★★

Claudia Boyle as Leïla CREDIT: ALASTAIR MUIR

This is the third time I've seen Penny Woolcock's visually stunning production of The Pearl Fishers and I still haven't got tired of it. English National Opera has brought its original showing of Bizet's less successful opera (first premiered in Théâtre Lyrique, 1863), compared to his passion-raged opera, Carmen, back for the London audience, which has some small amends that make for a less messier outing.

I first saw the ENO production in 2014, with singers George von Berger, John Tessier and Sophie Bevan who sung with heartfelt tendency and poignancy, yet I was concerned about the loud, distracting noises which took place behind the main stage. Then it was at the beginning of the year that I caught up with Metropolitan Opera's HD Live screening with superb singers; Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani and Mariusz Kwiecien: obviously an incomparable experience. For one, the Met have a larger budget; commissioning 59 Productions to coordinate visual projections, and implementing airplane machinery for acrobats to emulate diving pearl fishers, searching for pearls in the ocean. Secondly, there's the camera direction that brought audiences closer to the lead singers' facial expressions, making the viewing experience far more sophisticated and intimate.

ENO Chorus and Jacques Imbrailo as Zurga CREDIT: ALASTAIR MUIR

Nonetheless, Woolcock's production is unique, and for any opera newbie, it is guaranteed to impress . Yet there are some elements of the opera that may stray some audiences away, including its storyline of two best friends fighting over the same 'pure' priestess who vows to protect a village but falls in love with a man, when she isn't supposed to, anyway.

Maestro Roland Böer gives an enticing performance of the sensitive overture with the consistently brilliant ENO Orchestra, which sets the mood of a tranquil Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) that soon diminishes through betrayal and mistrust. The famous aria Au fond du temple saint, sung by Jacques Imbrailo and Robert McPherson, as Zurga and Nadir, is enjoyable to listen to. They both appear to be in their element, both understanding the music, and there's that sense of hope that nothing can come between their friendship.

Dickie Bird's gorgeous shimmer of the Indian Ocean still stands as one of the best stage settings I've, ever, seen at the London Coliseum. This time round, the 2016 production brought together a collage of footage from recent tsunamis that had destroyed villages and homes. Focusing on countries that suffer from droughts, flooding and tsunami (Bangladesh being a major example as supplied in the programme notes), Woolcock aims to remind her audience that although nature causes these disasters the people who endure them are still human; they still fall in love, they still undergo heartbreak, and still have friendships that collapse.

Claudio Boyle as Leïla (Copyright: Alastair Muir.)

Bizet's music cannot be questioned here. The ENO Orchestra are, hands-down, successful in drawing on the finer details of Bizet's account. This includes the courageous ENO Chorus who were vocally heroic at the end of act 1; their climactic singing sent shivers down my spine and teleported me into the powerful waters which destroy the village after Leïla, the priestess, and Nadir are caught intimately together: a violation of Zurga's laws.

Claudia Boyle gave a strong appearance as the easily swayed priestess, yet vocally she could have been more passionate and stronger, I felt. Her efforts are noted nevertheless. James Creswell, a resident singer at the London Coliseum for the past couple of years, warrants credit for his solid and stoic performance as the high priest, even if it is a small part.

Jacques Imbrailo is a confident Zurga and matched the title role as village leader. His singing was neat, and his character's transgressions, which he shows in act 2, is equally convincing. There is particularly something likable about Robert Mcpherson's singing as lovestruck Nadir. Although his colouring was slightly higher than I am used to, compared to other recordings and performances I've heard, I thought that it worked for Nadir's naivety and besotted manner, in loving Leila and the desire to be privately alone with her.

There is a 'but' however. As much as I enjoyed this production, there was no fire burning for me in this production. Yes, at the end, Zurga burns the village and there is literal fire on stage, but there was absence of an emotional spark that pulled me to love this opera. The friendship duet seemed rather loose, and there also appeared to be no visible chemistry between Boyle and McPherson's characters. I just needed that extra nudge. Simply enjoying something is, clearly, not enough.

The Pearl Fishers is showing at the ENO until December 2nd. Click here to purchase tickets and more information. 

An "enjoyable" treat ⭐⭐⭐ #Review My thoughts on seeing Penny Woolcocks's #ENOPearlFishers for the third time @E_N_O https://t.co/JB4zvY1okk pic.twitter.com/Y4voVv4Zf7

— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) November 6, 2016

Penny Wilcock's The Pearl Fishers at the ENO: Brilliant and seductive music in an Moonlit Aquarium ***

Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers was not a success when it first premiered at the Théâtre Lyrique in 1863. Until now it hasn't received the same astounding reputation as his later and most popular opera, ‘Carmen.’ Penny Woolcock’s current production at the ENO appears to have many ambitious stage ideas as presented by David Bird: floating silk satin sheets, cleverly coordinated actors diving into a bubbly abyss with Jen Schriever’s ocean coloured video projections yet, some of the most basic rules for aweing an audience were somehow misplaced.

The musical grandiose of the melodic and romantic opera, The Peal Fishers is unmistakably one of the most sublime of its kind, not only because it was originally written in the language of love – French – but due to the sweet yearning from the famous duet between baritone and tenor in "Au fond du temple saint." 

The libretto is set in the exotic land of Ceylon, modern day Sri Lanka, where two pearl fishers and fellow comrades Zurga (George von Berger) and Nadir (John Tessier) honour their friendship by making a pact to stay loyal, however this is tested by the unattainable Goddess Laïla (Sophie Bevan) who the people depend on to calm the seas and protect them from thunderous storms. 

The twist in this romantic tale however is through Nadir and Laïla’s clandestine relationship, which once found out, are condemned to death by the insanely jealous Zurga. By Act 3, Woolcuck’s production gets evil; von Berger portrays an ill-tempered and violent Zurga in an unforgiving and vulgarly mannered shantytown.

Bevan, as the heroine, manages to remind us of the romantic proponent Bizet was through the soft lullaby aria, “Me voila seule” and boasts her ability to prolong high notes, more times than not. 

Tessier and von Berger give their best performance of the duet, and even if it wasn’t vocally consistence throughout, there were moments of heartfelt poignancy that assured an audience that their money was well spent. 

Tessier serenade voice was clear yet, unfortunately for von Berger, his voice was only redeemable towards Act 3 as it was drowned out by Jean-Luc Tingaud’s direction of a fiery orchestra.

As mentioned, Bizet’s musical score is first class and, one may argue, the only success of the opera which makes it harder to address any potential flaws with the orchestra but Tingaud goes full steam at the finale of Act 2 were the secret lovers are discovered. 

All singers and chorus sang hard and loud with their arms raised to the sky, which was maximised by the roaring of an oncoming storm, the triumphant beats of drums and bold brass instruments.

However, why were the cast static? Why did the appear gormless?  When it came to scene changes, a silent audience was left with rotating digital footage of water, which may be unkind to anyone prone to seasickness. For as long as four minutes, the waiting was worsened by the awkward sounds of backstage; the banging and thumping of props and muffled conversations between what sounded like beer bellied construction workers. 

Even the woody set design of the shantytown was creaky which overshadowed the harmony and tranquillity of Bizet’s songs. There are some notable details such as the moonlit aquarium scenery, which added to the soothing ambiance yet, brilliant and seductive music aside, there were almost too many concerns regarding the stage itself.

The Pearl Fishers shows at the ENO until the 5th July