Lakmé

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This article is about the opera. For the Indian cosmetics manufacturer, see Lakme cosmetics.
Original poster for Lakmé
Original poster for Lakmé

Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a French libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille, based on the 1880 novel Rarahu ou Le Mariage de Loti by Pierre Loti.

The subject of the opera was suggested by Gondinet as a vehicle for the American soprano Marie van Zandt. Delibes wrote the score during 1881-82. Like many other French operas of the late 19th century, Lakmé captures the ambience of the Orient that was in vogue during the latter part of the nineteenth century; Bizet's The Pearl Fishers and Massenet's Le roi de Lahore being two other examples.

Contents

[edit] Performance history

The opera was first performed on 14 April 1883 at the Opéra Comique in Paris with Van Zandt in the title role and Jean-Alexandre Talazac as Gérald.

[edit] Music

Its complex melodies are Delibes' signature. In the 21st century, Viens, Mallika, les liens en fleurs (The Flower Duet) in Act 1 is the most familiar music from the opera because of its use in advertisements, as well as in films (such as The Hunger).[citation needed] However, the Act 2 aria "Où va la jeune Hindoue?" (the "Bell Song") has long been a favourite recital piece for coloratura sopranos. Many recordings of it are sung in Italian as "Dov'e L'indiana Bruna?".

[edit] Roles

Role Voice type Premiere cast,
14 April 1883
(Conductor: -)
Gérald tenor Jean-Alexandre Talazac
Nilakantha bass
Lakmé coloratura soprano Marie van Zandt
Frédéric baritone or bass
Mallika mezzo soprano
Hadji tenor
Ellen soprano
Rose soprano
Mrs Benson mezzo soprano
Fortune teller tenor
Chorus: Officers, ladies, merchants, Brahmins, musicians

[edit] Synopsis

The story is set in the late nineteenth century British Raj in India. Many Hindus have been forced by the British to practice their religion in secret.

[edit] Act 1

The Hindus perform their rites in a sacred Brahmin temple under the high priest, Nilakantha and his daughter Lakmé (which derives from the Sanskrit Lakshmi). A party of British arrive near the temple, and Gérald, a British officer, accidentally trespasses on the grounds of the temple, where he encounters Lakmé and immediately falls in love with her. While Lakmé is at first frightened by the foreigner's incursion, she soon returns love. Nilakantha learns of the British officer's trespassing and vows revenge on the man who has blasphemed the sacred Brahmin temple.

[edit] Act 2

At a bazaar, Nilakantha forces Lakmé to sing (Bell Song) in order to lure the trespasser into identifying himself. When Gérald steps forward, Lakmé faints, thus giving him away. Nilakantha stabs Gérald, wounding him. Lakmé takes Gérald to a secret hideout in the forest where she nurses him back to health.

[edit] Act 3

While Lakmé fetches sacred water that will confirm the vows of the lovers, Fréderic, a fellow British officer, appears before Gérald and reminds him of his duty to his regiment. After Lakmé returns, she senses the change in Gérald and realizes that she has lost him. She dies with honour, rather than live with dishonour, killing herself by eating the poisonous datura leaf.

[edit] Musical numbers

  • Prelude

[edit] Act I

  • No. 1 Introduction: "À l'heure accoutumée" (Nilakantha)
  • Prière: "Blanche Dourga" (Lakmé, Nilakantha)
  • No. 1 Bis - Scène: "Lakmé, c'est toi qui nous protégeons!" (Nilakantha, Lakmé)
  • No. 2 - Duetto (The Flower Duet): "Viens, Mallika, les lianes en fleurs ... Dôme épais, le jasmin" (Lakmé, Mallika)
  • Scène: "Miss Rose, Miss Ellen" (Gérald)
  • No. 3 - Quintette & couplets: "Quand une femme est si jolie" (Gérald)
  • Récitatif: "Nous commettons un sacrilège" (Gérald)
  • No. 4 - Air: "Prendre le dessin d'un bijou" (Gérald)
  • No. 4 Bis - Scène: "Non! Je ne veux pas toucher" (Gérald, Lakmé)
  • No. 5 - Récitatif & Strophes: "Les fleurs me paraissent plus belles" (Lakmé)
  • No. 5 Bis - Récitatif: "Ah! Mallika! Mallika!" (Lakmé)
  • No. 6 - Duo: "D'où viens-tu? Que veux-tu?" (Lakme, Gérald)
  • No. 6 Bis - Scène: "Viens! La! La!" (Nilakantha, Lakmé)
  • Entr'acte

[edit] Act II

  • No. 7 - Choeur & Scène du marche: "Allons, avant que midi sonne"
  • No. 7 Bis - Récitatif: "Enfin! Nous aurons du silence!"
  • No. 8 - Airs de danse: Introduction
  • No. 8 - Airs de danse: Terana
  • No. 8 - Airs de danse: Rektah
  • No. 8 - Airs de danse: Persian
  • No. 8 - Airs de danse: Coda avec Choeurs
  • No. 8 - Airs de danse: Sortie
  • Récitatif: "Voyez donc ce vieillard"
  • No. 9 - Scène & Stances: "Ah! Ce vieillard encore!" (Nilankantha, Lakmé)
  • No. 9 Bis - Récitatif: "Ah! C'est de ta douleur" (Lakmé, Nilankantha)
  • No. 10 - Scène & Legende de la fille du Paria (Air des Clochettes/The Bell Song):
    "Ah!... Par les dieux inspires... Où va la jeune Hindoue" (Lakmé, Nilankantha)
  • No. 11 - Scène: "La rage me dévore" (Nilankantha, Lakmé)
  • No. 12 - Scène & Choeur: "Au milieu des chants d'allegresse" (Nilankantha, Lakmé)
  • No. 12 Bis - Récitatif: "Le maître ne pense qu'à sa vengeance"
  • No. 13 - Duo: "Lakmé! Lakmé! C'est toi!" (Lakmé, Gérald)
  • No. 14 - Finale: "O Dourga, toi qui renais" (Gérald)
  • Entr'acte

[edit] Act III

  • No. 15 - Berceuse: "Sous le ciel tout étoile" (Lakmé)
  • No. 15 Bis - Récitatif: "Quel vague souvenir alourdit ma pensée?" (Gérald, Lakmé)
  • No. 16 - Cantilène: "Lakmé! Lakmé! Ah! Viens dans la forêt profonde" (Gérald)
  • No. 17 - Scène & Choeur: "La, je pourrai t'entendre" (Lakmé, Gérald)
  • No. 18 - Scène: "Vivant!" (Gérald)
  • No. 19 - Duo: "Ils allaient deux à deux" (Lakmé, Gérald)
  • No. 20 - Finale: "C'est lui! C'est lui!" (Nilankantha, Lakmé, Gérald)

[edit] Recordings

[edit] External links

  • Recordings
  • Easybyte - free easy piano arrangement of "Flower Duet from Lakmé" plus midi sound file
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