Bizet's Les pêcheurs de perles debuts at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris

Background. In April 1862, as rehearsals for La guzla proceeded, Bizet was approached by Léon Carvalho, manager of the independent Théâtre Lyrique company. Because he did not receive Carvalho's commission until April 1863, with the projected opening night set for mid-September, Bizet composed quickly, with what Curtiss describes as "a tenacity and concentration quite foreign to him in his Roman days". He completed the score of Les pêcheurs in August 1863.

Premiere. The premiere was originally planned for 14 September 1863 but was postponed to 30 September due to the illness of the soprano lead, Léontine de Maësen. The performance took place at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris. The initial run consisted of 18 performances, closing on 23 November 1863. Despite bringing little financial success to the theatre, the work earned admiration from Bizet's peers.

Publication. Having completed the score of Les pêcheurs in August 1863, Bizet fell out with his publisher, Choudens, over publication rights. Much later, the 1977 Prétre recording of the complete opera was the first to be based on the 1863 original as represented in Bizet's vocal score. The opera's initial run at the Théâtre Lyrique brought the theatre little financial success.