# Help me track down the singers in this opera recording

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-track-down-the-singers-in-this-opera-recording/423320>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 19, 2007, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-track-down-the-singers-in-this-opera-recording/423320 "2007-10-19T18:38:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2007, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-track-down-the-singers-in-this-opera-recording/423320/1 "2007-10-19T18:38:07Z")

</div>

I have heard many recordings of _Au fond du temple saint_, a gorgeous duet from Bizet’s opera _The Pearl Fishers_, but this is my absolute favorite. The problem is that I have it as an old MP3 file, and haven’t a clue as to where it came from. I wish to track down and buy the full recording (if there is one), but haven’t had any luck so far.

I don’t know whether this will help any, but here are a couple of points that might make this recording stand out.

1. The track includes not only the duet, but also the recitative immediately beforehand. That lengthens the playing time to 7:45, significantly longer than any other recording of the piece I’ve come across.
2. The tempo throughout most of the piece is noticeably slower than any other recording I’ve heard, and only picks up toward the end.
3. At the moment in the first chorus when the tenor reaches for his high note, both he and the baritone drop the dynamic into a hush.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-track-down-the-singers-in-this-opera-recording/423320/2 "2007-10-19T20:22:55Z")

</div>

Probably not [David Byrne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grown_Backwards), but he and Rufus Wainwright do a good number.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-track-down-the-singers-in-this-opera-recording/423320/3 "2007-10-19T20:33:24Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Great Dave]  
Probably not [David Byrne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grown_Backwards), but he and Rufus Wainwright do a good number.  
[/QUOTE]

Uh…no. I think I may safely say without the slightest fear of contradictions that neither of the singers was David Byrne.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-track-down-the-singers-in-this-opera-recording/423320/4 "2007-10-19T22:04:31Z")

</div>

You could try posting your request on the rec.music.opera group [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.opera/topics](http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.opera/topics) or rec.music.classical.

It’d help if you uploaded the mp3 someplace so people could listen to it.