The Palm Beach Opera presented its second production of the 2026 season, Georges Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers,” on Feb. 20 at the Kravis Center, featuring a beautifully choreographed opening sequence by Ray Mercer. The set design and costumes by Dame Zandra Rhodes, originally created for San Diego Opera, provided a powerful multidimensional landscape in many scenes of the work, which is set in ancient Ceylon.
The effect of glow-in-the-dark paint and wild shapes created an expanse of color and depth on stage. The set came with plenty of opportunity for the lighting-design talents of Ron Vodicka. A frequent use of candlelight and scrims allowed for several clever vignettes within a scene.
Directed by Kathleen Smith Belcher, Palm Beach Opera’s production of “Les pêcheurs de perles” was sung in French, as it was written over 150 years ago, with subtitles. This piece represents a young Bizet, not having reached notoriety as an opera composer but invited to the task of composing because of his renown as a Prix de Rome winner. With its story of friendship, love and betrayal, the production would be received tepidly by the French public, yet enthusiastically by fellow composers and artists. Bizet would go on to premiere “Carmen” 12 years later.
Long Long, as Nadir, is a sharp-voiced tenor, with a lyric technique that softened the sharper edges of the operatic genre.
Francesca Pia Vitale was divine as the priestess, Leïla. Vitale is a talented actress on stage as well, communicating and moving fluidly throughout the massive set, yet still providing multiple moments of intimate character development and perfection in her voice. Her performance of the aria “Comme autrefois dans la nuit sombre” was an enchanting display of vocal prowess and a gorgeous upper register.
Conductor David Stern worked intensely to keep the complex orchestration in tandem with the singing cast. The overall pacing truly came together in the performance, even in the more rhythmically complex and flowing musical scenes. Stern knew exactly what to do, but some errant brass added confusion in a very exposed part of the score.
The staging was also very exposed in this Act I scene, in which Leïla enters and is carried to center stage on her litter. The action in the scene was difficult to anticipate and didn’t quite line up with the musical expectations in the score.
One of the highlights in Act I was “Au fond du temple saint,” sung between characters Zurga and Nadir, with harpist Ray Kemper providing a strong and flowing accompaniment to a difficult duet. Kemper provided several beautiful moments throughout the opera that spoke clearly in the orchestral texture.
Alfred Walker, as Nourabad, delivered a bold and sonorous voice, never missing a note. His foreshadowing side-eye looks at Nadir provided a counterpoint to the budding romance.
One warning to the audience: Check your nervous systems at the door, due to a “gunshot” sound that seemed more of an explosion right before the intermission.
Baritone Joo Won Kang as Zurga was a strong, centered voice that anchored the stage and proved he was perfectly suited to the role. Kang’s performance provided vocal nuance and character development, as the chorus naturally parted for him to take his place at center stage.
Vitale and Kang’s Act III duet, “Pour moi, je ne crains pas,” is a dramatic plea from Leïla to Zurga to spare Nadir’s life. Some performances of this duet recall a familiar married couple having an intense argument. Vitale and Kang’s interpretation instead was refreshing, as it demonstrated less long-term familiarity and more immediate pleading and conflict. Their performance revitalized this audience favorite.
Additional performances will be presented by Palm Beach Opera at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Tickets are available through the Palm Beach Opera box office. For information, visit PBOpera.org or call 561-833-7888.
Palm Beach Opera’s season continues with its 2026 Gala performance, featuring soprano Lisette Oropesa accompanied by Michael Borowitz on March 2 at The Breakers in Palm Beach.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beach Opera’s ‘Pearl Fishers’ offers bold colors, solid voices
Reporting by Sarah Hutchings, Special to Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Daily News
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