Au font du temple saint-Pearl Fishers by J Bjorling and R Merrill

It is time to start another trilogy. This time we will listen to music that explores the melancholy side of love, whether lost love, challenged love or distant love. As is our pattern, we will choose an operatic aria as our starting point. Audiences tend to know the music from Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen (1875); yet, few know about the music from his first opera, Les pecheurs de perles (1863). While I admit that I am not knowledgeable about the entire opera, the music from the duet between the baritone (Zurga) and the tenor (Nadir), entitled “Au fond du temple saint” is exquisite beyond compare, at least in the repertoire of baritone/tenor duets. According to Wikipedia, the two men had been friends years ago but that friendship had been tested by their mutual love for a young priestess. “They had each renounced their love for this stranger and had sworn to remain true to each other. Now, reunited, they affirm once again that they will be faithful [friends] until death.” Little do they know that quite soon the priestess will re-appear and that their friendship will once more be sorely tested.

We have chosen to include the version recorded by Jussi Bjorling and Robert Merrill, although the 1907 recording by Mario Ancona and Enrico Caruso (https://youtu.be/6lGVEZAsrgE) is also excellent, given the quality of the recording equipment.