Naomi van den Broek reviews The Pearl Fishers, presented by NZ Opera with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Benjamin Bayl, directed by Stephen Barlow, at the Isaac Theatre Royal, Wednesday 14 October, 2026. Production photography below by Andi Crown.
The drama wasn’t just on the stage for this production of Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers, with the audience’s first interaction with the production being a pre-show announcement of a last-minute casting change: the role of Nadir is to be played by Australian tenor, Andrew Goodwin. Monday night’s dress rehearsal had resulted in injury for Filipe Manu, originally cast in the role, so one can only imagine how Tuesday looked for NZ Opera, and the cast and crew of this production!
This production has been reimagined from its original setting on an island in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to a brand awareness retreat for modern day luxury jewelry house, Pêcheur & Perle, a cute play on the opera’s French title. While Christchurch Symphony Orchestra plays the overture, we are given the brand story projected onto a screen on the front of the stage. It takes us from the brand’s humble beginnings to its present-day market domination.
Heritage art forms are constantly being tasked with relevance and the need to connect with new and diverse audiences, and modern-day adaptations of existing works are a common way to try to do this. It runs the risk of alienating more traditional audiences and sometimes it can feel a bit like organisations are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. However, this adaptation doesn’t get in the way of the beautiful music and singing, and while the interpretation is stretched a little thin in Acts II and III, my companion, a first time opera attendee, says it’s believable enough. The long time NZ Opera (and wider arts form) patrons seated on the other side of me agree. While the original version may play more strongly on morals and superstition, at its essence The Pearl Fishers is less of a sphere than an old-fashioned love triangle, and as long as those relationships are clearly delineated it’s almost immaterial what happens around them.
As you would expect with an organisation like NZ Opera, the production values are through the fly floor! Lighting design by Jake Wiltshire is simple, effective and tasteful, with a particularly impressive cue in the lighting of the fire pit. Set and costumes, designed by Yannis Thavoris, are sumptuous and elegant. The repeated motif of the pearl is visible in all key set pieces including a board table, a resort style sleeping pod, and a bathtub. While this interpretation helpfully avoids the problematic exoticising of the original, it is very uncomfortable as a New Zealand audience member to see people sitting and walking on a table. It’s surprising this wasn’t a cultural consideration for the production team.
The costumes reflect the muted marine colour palette of the wider production design, with the exception being Lêïla’s stunning jade green gown and fringed hat – a magnificent update on the veil of the original story – which showcases her as the diva she is. One tiny gripe about the costumes is the clash of eras. The chorus and principals’ costumes all draw heavily on 1940s influences, so much so it feels like the chorus are at a vicarage garden party. Then there are retreat staff in chinos and polo shirts, security staff in fatigues with assault rifles, and ‘Head of Security’ Nourabad with an earpiece. If the chorus costuming had some modern elements added, to my eye, it would seem more stylised and cohesive, and more fully draw me into the world.
However, it’s clear that every detail is considered down to monogrammed umbrellas which, as the indefatigable editor of this site said to me in the interval, is “how you know you’re in the presence of OPERA money!” In this current funding climate, and especially in the South Island which has been so heinously overlooked in recent funding rounds, it’s both wonderful and also somewhat jarring to see a production that’s been this lavishly supported.
Under the baton of conductor Benjamin Bayl, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra performs the charming score with sensitivity and class. Special mentions need to be made of the winds, with lovely work from Team Flute (Hye-Won Suh and Margo Askin), and some beautiful solo moments from Jenny Clapp on oboe and David McGregor on clarinet. Helen Webby, oh harp, also features heavily, with wonderful passages which she plays gorgeously.
When a last-minute casting change occurs in a production, most people’s considerations are for the challenges faced by the ring in. However, what people may not consider is the incredible pressure it places on the entire cast. Bearing in mind the final dress rehearsal for The Pearl Fishers was on Monday night, this is essentially the first time this cast is performing as a whole. And I wonder if this contributes to the slightly shaky start to this performance. The chorus especially don’t really seem to hit their stride until the third act, with a number of very ragged entrances, which is especially unfortunate as they have the first entrance in Act I. The level of experience in this chorus, with many of these singers having been involved in multiple NZO productions, makes me question if they have been sufficiently rehearsed. Hopefully as the season continues they will build their confidence and start to really gel as a unit. There are also some strange directorial choices, especially in the more texturally exposed chorus work, where they are moving around the stage to such a degree that their traffic sounds are almost obscuring their singing. There are also some odd mimed actions (something I really dislike) that seem completely unmotivated by what is happening on stage.
Samuel Dundas, Zurga, takes the role by the horns after a slightly luke-warm start. “Qu’ai-je vu? O ciel, quel trouble… Je frémis”, the duet with Lêïla in Act III, is powerful and moving, and his revelation of his identity to her at the end is convincing and leads to a satisfying and dramatic finish. The crowd pleasing duet “Au fond du temple saint” with Goodwin occurs so early in the work it really wins the audience over to this production and the late cast change.
Goodwin plays the role of Nadir with sensitivity and charisma, with a beautiful rendition of “À cette voix… Je crois entendre encore”. (And really Andrew, I hope you’re having a lie down and a cuppa today after a hectic couple of days learning an entire production!) NZ Opera is lucky to have found someone based so close (Australia) who is so familiar with the work, and who has the talent, skill and guts to take on this challenge. Bravo!
Madison Nonoa, Lêïla, has the sort of voice you describe as exquisite. Her control and phrasing are just lovely and she really shines in her delicate, crystalline interpretation of this role. In the unaccompanied section of the cadenza in “Me voilà seule dans la nuit…Comme autrefois” you could hear a pin drop! However, it would be good to hear more power and volume especially in some of the more dramatic numbers. There are times where she is almost inaudible when the full forces of the cast and orchestra are at play.
Bass Anthony Robin Schneider proves the adage “there are no small parts, only small actors” true. He absolutely commands the role of Nourabad, with committed, powerful and exciting singing, as well as top notch acting. I totally believe him in the role of the heavy, and the energy really lifts every time he comes on stage.
There are some very odd moments with the audience during the performance. Aside from a coughing chorus in Act III that is almost comedic, text message alerts, and lolly wrappers, there is SO MUCH TALKING. I wonder if starting the opera with the projected images just makes people feel like they are watching TV? At the tops of Act II and III audience members keep talking and using phones (and not for the surtitles) well after the music has commenced, as if the action doesn’t start until the singing does. And the other weird thing is the reactions during specific moments. In the bath scene in Act III people in the audience are almost cat calling, and in the execution scene people are laughing. It’s very strange, especially given the mean age of the opening night audience would indicate a certain level of maturity.
This production is already sold out, so to those of you with tickets you’re in for a great night of everything you want from an opera: grand passion, lust, violence, and of course glorious music! My companion is unequivocal in her response when I ask if she’d go to an opera again based on the strength of this one: “ABSOLUTELY!”
The Pearl Fishers plays in Christchurch until Sunday 18 October.
