THIRD ACT The third act contains the unfolding of the drama. Here Zurga realizes the inevitability of fate. First of all he sees his folly, secondly he has realized that Leïla is his former savior and thus a second mother. She is the one that gave him hope and life when all was lost and thus she can never belong to him. And having been granted life by her, he can’t do anything else but repay the deed. He sets fire to the village. With this he sacrifices not only his life, but places love and friendship above all else, even above the will of the gods. He oversteps all boundaries set forth by religion and society and steps as it were in the shoes of the gods. This must be revenged. While the smoke of the village fills the air Zurga is taken to the top of the cliff and stabbed to death by Nurabad. He falls into the ocean. The lights turn blue again, and we see the first image of a deep-sea and form up-high we see the body of Zurga slowly sink to the bottom. While in the distance we hear the fled couple sing the song of friendship and love. 21
22 Online Touch Home