Delibes & Bizet: Lakmé & The Pearl Fishers - Discovering Opera

Two of opera's most exotic and sensuous works share a single disc in this entry from the Discovering Opera series — a pairing that makes perfect sense, both in mood and in musical richness.

Lakmé by Léo Delibes (1883) is best known for its ravishing Flower Duet, one of the most recognised pieces in all of classical music, but the full opera is a lush, atmospheric work set in colonial India, full of delicate orchestration and vocal beauty. The Pearl Fishers (Les Pêcheurs de Perles) by Georges Bizet (1863) offers another jewel: the celebrated tenor-baritone duet Au fond du temple saint, a moment of pure operatic magic that has endured for over 150 years.

This highlights disc captures the essential arias and ensembles from both works, making it an ideal introduction to two composers who deserve far wider audiences.

• Format: CD
• Composers: Léo Delibes / Georges Bizet
• Works: Lakmé / The Pearl Fishers
• Series: Discovering Opera
• Label: IMP Masters
• Condition: Preloved / Used