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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. It was first performed in 1883 at the Opéra Comique in Paris. Like many other French operas of the late nineteenth century, Lakmé captures the ambience of the Far East that was in vogue during the latter part of the nineteenth century; Bizet's The Pearl Fishers and Massenet's Le Roi de Lahore are two other examples. There are several recordings of this work, including performances by famous sopranos Joan Sutherland, Mady Mesplé and Mado Robin. Its complex melodies are Delibes' signature. Yet, it is inexplicably rare for this opera to actually be performed.
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. Gerald, a British officer, accidentally trespasses on the grounds of a sacred Brahmin temple. He encounters Lakmé, the daughter of the high priest, Nilakantha. Gerald and Lakmé fall in love. Nilakantha learns of the British officer's trespassing and vows revenge on the man who has blasphemed the sacred Brahmin temple.
At a bazaar, Nilakantha forces Lakmé to sing (Bell Song) in order to lure the trespasser into identifying himself. When Gerald steps forward, Lakmé faints, thus giving him away. Nilakantha stabs Gerald, wounding him. Lakmé brings Gerald to a secret hideout in the forest where she nurses him back to health.
While Lakmé fetches sacred water that will confirm the vows of the lovers, Frederic, a fellow British officer, appears before Gerald and reminds him of his duty to his regiment. After Lakmé returns, she senses the change in Gerald and realizes that she has lost him. She dies with honor, rather than live with dishonor, killing herself by eating the poisonous datura leaf.
The most famous music from the opera is the The Flower Duet, which has been used in film (I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, The Hunger); TV shows such as The L Word, The Simpsons, and Nip/Tuck; commercials, most notably for British Airways, but also for Ghirardelli Chocolate Company and Robert Trent Jones Golf Courses.
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Characters
Mrs. Benson - Mezzo-soprano
Officers, ladies, merchants, Brahmins, musicians - Chorus
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Acts and Parts
Prelude
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Act I
No. 1 Introduction: "À l'heure accoutumée" (Nilakantha)
Prière: "Blanch Dourga" (Lakmé, Nilakantha)
No. 1 Bis - Scène: "Lakmé, c'est toi qui nous protégeons!" (Nilakantha, Lakmé)
No. 2 - Duetto: "Viens, Malika" (Lakmé)
Scène: "Miss Rose, Miss Ellen" (Gérald)
No. 3 - Quintette & Couplets: "Quand une femme est si jolie" (Gérald)
Récitatif: "Nous commettons un sacrilege" (Gérald)
No. 4 - Air: "Prendre le dessin d'un bijou" (Gérald)
No. 4 Bis - Scene: "Non! Je ne veux pas toucher" (Gérald, Lakmé)
No. 5 - Récitatif & Strophes: "Les fleurs me paraissent plus belles" (Lakmé)
No. 5 Bis - Récitatif: "Ah! Malika! Malika!" (Lakmé)
No. 6 - Duo: "D'où viens-tu? Que veux-tu?" (Lakme, Gérald)
No. 6 Bis - Scene: "Viens! La! La!" (Nilankantha, Lakmé)
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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):
: "Ah!... Par les dieux inspires... Où va la jeune indoue" (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)
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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)
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