The Pearl Fishers (1963 film)
| The Pearl Fishers | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | William Sterling |
| Based on | the opera by Bizet |
Production company |
ABC |
Release date | 3 April 1963 (Sydney) |
Running time | 115 mins |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
The Pearl Fishers is a 1963 Australian TV play based on the opera by Bizet. It was filmed in Sydney at the ABC's Gore Hill studios and marked the one hundredth anniversary of the first performance of the opera.[1]
Cast
| Character | Singer |
|---|---|
| Leila | Rosalind Keene |
| Zurga | Ronal Jackson |
| Nadir | Raymond McDonald |
Keene and Jackson appear in the production, but not McDonald; Edward Brayshaw mimes and lip-synchs the role of Nadir.[1]
Reception
The critic from the Sydney Morning Herald wrote that, "it may be that producer William Stirling doubted that the music could hold the viewers' interest should the action flag for a moment, for his sets were distractingly cluttered up at times. He also used such film techniques as flashbacks, and in the love duel the closeup was excessive. The flames in which Ronal Jackson expired at the end of the. .opera were a further innovation; such an impressively elaborate production obviously cried out for colour television."[2]
References
- 1 2 James, Dawn (10 April 1963). "SPINE-TINGLING OPERA". The Australian Women's Weekly. 30 (45). Australia. p. 19. Retrieved 25 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Opera". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 April 1963. p. 16.
External links