Faye Robinson - Bizet: THE PEARL FISHERS - O Dieu Brahma & Comme autrefois, Utrecht 1988

THE SONGBIRD: Faye Robinson is from Houston, born in 1943. She made her debut at New York City Opera as Micaela in 1972 and practically owned that role there during the 1970s; other roles at NYCO included Liu, Violetta, Pamina, Gilda, Lucia, Fortuna, Queen of Shemakha, and Elvira. She also sang in many top opera houses in the US, Europe, and South America with roles including Violetta, Konstanze, Elettra, Adina, and Leila. THE MUSIC: Leïla, the soprano lead in Bizet's opera "Le pecheurs de perles" ("The Pearl Fishers") is more of a French light lyric role, but does call for coloratura in her prayer to the deity Brahma at the end of Act 1. There are some frills, trills, and top notes in this section of the score in order to conjure the exotic world of Ceylon and elevate the vocal temperature as the act closes. Her full aria in Act 2, "Comme autrefois," is a popular lyric soprano piece, almost a forecast of Micaela's aria in "Carmen."