The Pearl Fishers by Georges Bizet. Short summary

5 seconds

Two friends are competing for the heart of one girl. But she is a priestess and has no right to love. Because of the strange traditions of the pearl fishers, one man and the girl herself want to be burned at the stake. But the second man saves them, at the cost of his own life.

1 minute

Two best friends, the tribal chief Zurga and the hunter Nadir quarreled over their love for the same girl, Leila. For a long time they have not seen each other. But a priestess is brought to their tribe, who must sing songs to drive away evil spirits from the pearl fishers. She turns out to be their beloved.

Leila must publicly renounce her love to become a priestess. But she meets Nadir. Zurga discovers this and becomes furious. He decides that both must die.

The lovers are sentenced to death. The girl asks her mother to give her pearl necklace. It was once given to her by a man to whom she saved her life as a little girl. Zurga realizes that he owes his life to her.

The islanders build a fire to burn the infidels. But the chief appears and reports that the fields and village are burning. It is the gods who are angry. Only the priest of the tribe realizes that Zurga himself set fire to their property to save his friend and beloved. The enraged mob burns the chief, and the captives flee.