The Pearl Fishers (1999)

On a wild shore, the pearl fishers sing and dance to warn off evil spirits; they choose Zurga as their leader. When his friend Nadir returns from a long sojourn in the jungle, the two friends tell of the moment in a Brahmin temple years ago when they both fell in love with the same beautiful girl but swore to renounce her and remain friends forever.

A veiled priestess arrives to pray for the fishermen. It is Leila, accompanied by Nourabad, high priest of Brahma; Leila swears an oath of obedience. We know (from the orchestra) that she is the very goddess they have both renounced, but while Nadir recognizes her, Zurga does not. She reaffirms her vows.
Nadir, left alone, confesses that he has long dreamed of Leila and has followed her here. Nourabad tells Leila to sing her incantation to Siva; she sees Nadir, and the hymn is transformed into a declaration of love.

Nourabad brings Leila to a ruined Hindu temple to begin her vigil; he reminds her of her vow of chastity. She tells of rescuing a stranger from a mob years ago; she still wears the necklace he gave her in gratitude.

Left alone, she sings of her love for Nadir. When he enters, she begs him to leave, but they eventually yield to their passionate feelings, and he promises to return the next night. There is a shot, and Nourabad rushes off to find the intruder. As a storm approaches, Nadir is led in; he and Leila are about to be put to death by the angry crowd when Zurga intervenes to save them, but his mercy turns to rage when Nourabad tears off Leila’s veil and he is forced to recognize her.

Later, Zurga agonizes over having to condemn his friend. Leila begs him to spare Nadir’s life, but when she admits her love, Zurga is enraged once again. When Nourabad comes to lead her away, she asks a fisherman to send her necklace to her mother; but Zurga snatches it away.

Leila and Nadir await death at dawn, but at the critical moment, Zurga intervenes; the light is not the dawn but flames from the fishermen’s tents on the shore. When they rush off to save their homes, Zurga releases both Nadir and Leila, showing her the necklace (he was indeed the stranger she rescued long ago) and explaining that it was he who set the fire. As Zurga awaits his fate, the lovers escape, singing the duet that was once the bond between the two men but is now theirs.