In front of the magnificent temple of Soliman A march and procession announce the arrival of Balkis, the Queen of Sheba, on a state visit to Jerusalem.

Benoni, Adoniram's assistant, appears with the news that the mould of the "bronze sea" was repaired, apparently by supernatural agency, and the cast is now completed.

She slips the ring she had given to Soliman on to Adoniram's finger and bitterly mourns his death over his body (Finale:Emportons dans la nuit ).

Lend me your aid, O race divine', this became a war-horse of the concert repertoire, surviving into the 20th century in the recordings of Edward Lloyd and Walter Widdop.

It was also recorded by Enrico Caruso, in one of whose versions the English text was re-translated back into French with the exceptionable formula: 'Prête-moi ton aide'.

[6] Balkis' cavatina "Plus grand dans son obscurité" has been recorded by Francoise Pollet, Elīna Garanča, Elizabeth Whitehouse, Marian Anderson and Karine Deshayes.

Francesca Scaini (soprano) La Reine Balkis, Jeon-Won Lee (tenor) Adoniram, Anna Lucia Alessio (soprano) Bénoni, Annalisa Carbonara (soprano) Sarahil, Luca Grassi (baritone) Le Roi Soliman, Salvatore Cordella (tenor) Amrou, Jean Vendassi (baritone) Phanor, Pietro Naviglio (bass) Méthousaël, Volodymyr Deyneka (bass) Sadoc ; Bratislava Chamber Choir and Italian International Orchestra conducted by Manlio Benzi.

[7] A live performance from the 2001 Valle d'Itria Festival; the text uses the vocal score made by Bizet, with one restored scene, a shortened ballet, and a few cuts.