PRESS

'Penny Woolcock's direction was first-class. Truly magical, and beautifully lit' Mail on Sunday

'Pure theatrical magic... in this venue, it is hard to imagine a Pearl Fishers better judged' Financial Times

'Rousingly yet elegantly sung by Alfie Boe and Quinn Kelsey, both giving exceptionally strong vocal performances' Daily Telegraph

'Alfie Boe sings with a passionate sweetness and brings a winning, youthful energy to his performance' Metro

'Beautifully sung by Boe and Kelsey. Alfie Boe’s Nadir is anything but a nadir. His voice is gloriously secure' The Times

'The sumptuous dramatic baritone of the rising young American Quinn Kelsey' Sunday Times

'Beautifully played under the baton of Rory Macdonald... clearly a natural in the operatic pit' Sunday Telegraph

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

A thrilling tale of friendship tested by love, set on an exotic isle in an eastern sea, Bizet's early masterpiece is a gem of 19th-century French opera, full of fabulous tunes, colourful orchestration and evocative choruses. With Tony Award-winning tenor Alfie Boe as Nadir, ENO's new production is directed by outstanding film-maker Penny Woolcock, following her explosive debut with John Adams's Doctor Atomic at ENO and the Metropolitan Opera, New York. Conducted by rising Scottish podium star Rory Macdonald, who made his own impressive ENO debut last season with Rossini's The Barber of Seville, it offers UK audiences a rare chance to discover what a pearl of a piece Bizet’s opera can be.

RELATED TALKS AND EVENTS

Post-performance discussion with director Penny Woolcock: Jul 4, free

CAST

Leila Hanan Alattar; Nadir Alfie Boe; Zurga Quinn Kelsey (perfs 1-7), Roland Wood (Perfs 8-11); Nourabad Freddie Tong

Conductor Rory Macdonald; Director Penny Woolcock; Set Designer Dick Bird; Costume Designer Kevin Pollard; Lighting Designer Jennifer Schriever; Video Design Fifty Nine Productions; Movement Director Andrew Dawson

RELATED AUDIO

Ian McMillan reads his interpretation of the Pearl Fishers (an ENO commission)

Alfie Boe talks candidly to Edward Seckerson about his role in The Pearl Fishers

SIGNED PERFORMANCE

Tuesday 29th June - 7.30pm