Friendship is on the line in this lushly exotic precursor to Carmen, in Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, presented by Palm Beach Opera. Although a rare addition to many opera company's seasons throughout the world, The Pearl Fishers is by no means an operatic dud; in fact, with its sweeping arias, beautiful setting in the ancient world of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and central themes of love and loyalty, it is a shining gem from Bizet's early career.

A mainstay of the opera repertory, Verdi's Rigoletto is a thrilling, cinematic experience that first set pulses racing and tongues wagging when it first debuted in Venice in 1851. The gritty production overcame its initial problems with the censors of its day to become one of the world's most widely performed operas, beloved for its memorable tunes and electrifying revenge plot. Omer Ben Seadia directs Palm Beach Opera's production of this masterpiece in March, conducted by David Stern!