Bizet’s Pearl Fishers is a curious choice for Opera North’s summer tour of concert halls. The orchestration can be comfortably accommodated within Leeds Grand Theatre’s orchestra pit and those in Nottingham, Newcastle and Hull. I still recall the company’s exotic production at Leeds Grand in 1988/89. Velvety Russian baritone Sergei Leiferkus and renowned Welsh tenor Arthur Davies, were unforgettable as childhood friends Zurga and Nadir. Both of whom had fallen for Leila, a priestess. The spectacular choreography had dancers darting around the stage with flaming torches as Zurga sets fire to his village. The opera’s locale is a coastal fishing community in pre-British Empire Ceylon (Sri Lanka since 1972). This setting poses new challenges: imagery described in production director-speak as ‘pre-colonial oriental exotica’ is now frowned upon.

Matthew Eberhardt’s sanitised version (to be seen only in Leeds) offers little sense of time or place. Only the principals are directed to perform in character. The 36 strong chorus, in standard evening dress and mostly grouped upstage, look more like distant mourners at a funeral. Moody lighting and video footage of the sea projected onto the backcloth is more evocative than the giant pearls dotted around the stage.

The opera has just four named characters: Dutch baritone Quirijin de Lang is in commanding vocal form as Zurga, the village leader. Maltese tenor Nico Darmanin as Nadir, delivers a beautifully phrased account of his famous aria Je crois entendre encore (I think I still hear). Both singers hit the spot in their ravishing duet Au fond du temple saint (In the depths of the holy temple). German born soprano Sophie Theodorides makes an auspicious house debut as Leila. The voice gleams as she prays O Dieu Brahma. Nourabad the high priest is really a cameo role: the gravitas of Seattle born bass, James Cresswell, makes him seem much more. Musically, this is a richly satisfying evening. The Chorus sings with subtle power and expression while the Orchestra, conducted by Matthew Kofi Waldren, applies delicate brush strokes of colour to Bizet’s gorgeous score. I enjoyed Act 3 perched high up in the gods. The best seats in the house for sound, and a wonderful bird’s eye view.

The Pearl Fishers continues at Leeds Grand on 25, 27, 31 May & 2 June. The production then goes on concert tour - minus the theatrical trappings.