“Au fond du temple saint” is almost certainly the most beloved of all tenor/baritone opera duets. It comes from The Pearl Fishers by Georges Bizet, who best known for his masterpiece Carmen. This earlier opera has its treasurable moments, to be sure, but this duet is without a doubt the crowning glory of the work. In it, the characters of Zurga and Nadir (two pearl fishers) pledge that their love for the same woman will not imperil their friendship. I’ve had the pleasure of helping students prepare this piece for performance, and I have also had the tremendous joy of singing it myself on a couple of different occasions. The first time was an overwhelming experience because I got to sing this duet on a Racine Symphony concert with a highly regarded young tenor named Kevin Anderson, who had sung a number of leading roles with the New York City Opera and other companies around the country. I felt like I was encroaching on the spotlight of a real opera star, so while it was an exciting experience, it was also brutally intimidating.
I actually remember the second time I performed this duet with much more fondness (and clarity.) For that occasion- yet another Racine Symphony concert – I shared the stage with a fine tenor from Milwaukee named Lee Henning. It would not be overstating it to say that he was then and remains to this day one of the most highly regarded singers in this part of the state – a superb artist and musician and a real gentleman as well. He has been an indispensable part of several different ensembles and organizations in Milwaukee, including the Master Singers – which he helped to create 25 years ago. In honor of that milestone, the group commissioned me to compose a piece in his honor, which I titled “Blessing- For Lee.” I hope I will be able to share that here sometime soon.
In the meantime, here is a recording of Lee and I performing the Pearl Fishers duet on a Racine Symphony Lakeside Pops concert from a number of years ago. Alexander Platt conducts.