zurga jurons déesse foule sépare rester pêcheurs unir repousse voile vient crois bizet oui perles fuit rien halévy promesse cœurs ô d'enfants brise voir prière docteur âme guiraud procopio fromental
les pecheurs de perles au fond du temple saint
Au fond du temple saint - wikipedia Au fond du temple saint Jump to : navigation , search This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . ( January 2015 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) `` Au fond du temple saint '' ( `` At the back of the holy temple '' ) is a duet from Georges Bizet 's 1863 opera Les pêcheurs de perles . The libretto was written by Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré . Generally known as `` The Pearl Fishers ' Duet '' , it is one of the best - known numbers in Western opera . It is sung by Nadir ( tenor ) and Zurga ( baritone ) in act 1 . Contents ( hide ) 1 Context 2 Music 3 Lyrics 4 References 5 External links Context ( edit ) After a self - imposed absence , Nadir returns to the shores of Ceylon , where his friend Zurga has just been elected Fisher King by the local pearl fishermen . The two had once fallen in love with the same woman , but then vowed each other to renounce that love and remain true to each other . On meeting again , they sing this duet , remembering how they first fell in love / were fascinated with a veiled priestess of Brahma whom they saw passing through the adoring crowd . A key moment in the opera , this duet is the clearest depiction of the triangular relationships between the protagonists . The obvious situation at this point is that males will value their friendship higher than a heterosexual relationship . Peter Weir uses this duet in his 1981 film Gallipoli without the heterosexual aspect , purely to express male mateship and loyalty between a pair of doomed soldiers . A different view is possible by a reading of the duet as a `` pair of parallel monologues '' , emphasizing the rivalry and deceit between the men . This duet reappears at the end of the opera , but is sung in unison as the soprano Leila and the tenor Nadir sing together of their love which will transcend all their trials -- while Zurga sacrifices himself , knowing of their love , as he lets them flee to safety . Music ( edit ) <Td_colspan="2"> Range ( transposed 1 octave up ) Nadir Zurga The duet starts in the key of E-flat major and the time signature of common time ( ) ; after a general pause following the words `` Elle fuit ! '' , the score briefly omits all signature accidentals , and the time signature changes at `` Non , que rien ne nous sépare '' to 3 4 before returning to the starting configuration on `` Oui , c'est elle '' in the final duet . Nadir 's part ranges from F to B ♭ with the tessitura between A and G. Zurga 's part ranges from D to E ♭ . Depending on the version and on cuts to the recitatives within the aria , it takes between 4 1 / 2 to 6 minutes to perform . Lyrics ( edit ) Zurga C'était le soir ! Dans l'air par la brise attiédi , Les brahmines au front inondé de lumière , Appelaient lentement la foule à la prière ! It was in the evening ! In the air cooled by a breeze , The brahmanes with faces flooded with light , Slowly called the crowd to prayer ! Nadir Au fond du temple saint paré de fleurs et d'or , Une femme apparaît ! At the back of the holy temple , decorated with flowers and gold , A woman appears ! Zurga Une femme apparaît ! A woman appears ! Nadir Je crois la voir encore ! I can still see her ! Zurga Je crois la voir encore ! I can still see her ! Nadir La foule prosternée La regarde , étonnée , Et murmure tout bas : Voyez , c'est la déesse Qui dans l'ombre se dresse , Et vers nous tend les bras ! The prostrate crowd looks at her amazed and murmurs under its breath : look , this is the goddess looming up in the shadow and holding out her arms to us . Zurga Son voile se soulève ! Ô vision ! ô rêve ! La foule est à genoux ! Her veil parts slightly . What a vision ! What a dream ! The crowd is kneeling . Both Oui , c'est elle ! C'est la déesse Plus charmante et plus belle ! Oui , c'est elle ! C'est la déesse Qui descend parmi nous ! Son voile se soulève Et la foule est à genoux ! Yes , it is she ! It is the goddess , more charming and more beautiful . Yes , it is she ! It is the goddess who has come down among us . Her veil has parted and the crowd is kneeling . Nadir Mais à travers la foule Elle s'ouvre un passage ! But through the crowd she makes her way . Zurga Son long voile déjà Nous cache son visage ! Already her long veil hides her face from us . Nadir Mon regard , hélas ! La cherche en vain ! My eyes , alas ! Seek her in vain ! Zurga Elle fuit ! She flees ! Nadir Elle fuit ! Mais dans mon âme soudain Quelle étrange ardeur s'allume ! She flees ! But what is this strange flame which is suddenly kindled in my soul ! Zurga Quel feu nouveau me consume ! What unknown fire is destroying me ? Nadir Ta main repousse ma main ! Your hand pushes mine away ! Zurga Ta main repousse ma main ! Your hand pushes mine away ! Nadir De nos cœurs l'amour s'empare , Et nous change en ennemis ! Love takes our hearts by storm and turns us into enemies ! Zurga Non , que rien ne nous sépare ! No , let nothing part us ! Nadir Non , rien ! No , nothing ! Zurga Que rien ne nous sépare . Let nothing part us ! Nadir Non , rien ! No , nothing ! Zurga Jurons de rester amis ! Let us swear to remain friends ! Nadir Jurons de rester amis ! Let us swear to remain friends ! Zurga Jurons de rester amis ! Let us swear to remain friends ! Both Oh oui , jurons de rester amis ! Oui , c'est elle ! C'est la déesse ! En ce jour qui vient nous unir , Et fidèle à ma promesse , Comme un frère je veux te chérir ! C'est elle , c'est la déesse Qui vient en ce jour nous unir ! Oui , partageons le même sort , Soyons unis jusqu'à la mort ! Oh yes , let us swear to remain friends ! Yes , it is she , the goddess , who comes to unite us this day . And , faithful to my promise , I wish to cherish you like a brother ! It is she , the goddess , who comes to unite us this day ! Yes , let us share the same fate , let us be united until death ! References ( edit ) Jump up ^ Johnson , Edward Joe ( 2003 ) . Once There Were Two True Friends : Or , Idealized Male Friendship in French Narrative from the Middle Ages Through the Enlightenment . Summa Publications . pp. 247 -- 248 . ISBN 9781883479428 . Jump up ^ Leonard , Richard ( 2009 ) . The Mystical Gaze of the Cinema . Melbourne University Press . pp. 179 -- 180 . ISBN 9780522859942 . Jump up ^ Ashley , Tim ( 13 June 2002 ) . `` The Pearl Fishers '' . The Guardian . External links ( edit ) French Wikisource has original text related to this article : Les Pêcheurs de perles `` Au fond du temple saint '' : Scores at the International Music Score Library Project ( IMSLP ) `` Au fond du temple saint '' , Aria Database One of the most celebrated versions on YouTube , sung Jussi Björling and Robert Merrill <Th_colspan="2"> ( hide ) Georges Bizet Operas La maison du docteur ( 1852 or 1855 ; unperformed ) Le docteur Miracle ( 1857 ) Don Procopio ( 1859 ) Ivan IV ( 1862 -- 5 ) Les pêcheurs de perles ( 1863 ) Noé ( by Fromental Halévy , completed by Bizet c. 1865 ) La jolie fille de Perth ( 1867 ) Djamileh ( 1872 ) Carmen ( 1875 ) Arias `` Au fond du temple saint '' `` Habanera '' `` Toreador Song '' Opera discography Carmen Other works Symphony in C major ( 1855 ) Roma Symphony ( 1860 -- 71 ) Jeux d'enfants ( piano duet , 1871 ) L'Arlésienne ( incidental music , 1872 ) Family Geneviève Halévy ( wife ) François Delsarte ( uncle ) Related articles Carmen Suites ( Bizet / Guiraud ) <Td_colspan="2"> List of compositions by Georges Bizet Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Au_fond_du_temple_saint&oldid=775189042 '' Categories : Compositions by Georges Bizet Opera excerpts 1863 compositions Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from January 2015 All articles needing additional references Articles containing French - language text All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2015 Works with IMSLP links Articles with International Music Score Library Project links Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 13 April 2017 , at 07 : 30 . 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