Lakmé
- Gérald, English officer (Tenor)
- Frédéric, English officer (baritone )
- Nilakantha, Brahmin priests ( bass)
- Lakmé, his daughter (Soprano)
- Mallika, whose companion (Alt )
- Hadji, servants Nilakanthas (Tenor)
- Ellen, Gerald's fiancée (soprano )
- Rose, her cousin (mezzo- soprano)
- Mistress Benson, whose teacher (mezzo- soprano)
- A soothsayer
- A merchant
- A crook
Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes to a libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille, based on the 1880 novel Le Mariage de Loti Rarahu ou by Pierre Loti.
Action
Act I
Lakmé is the daughter of Nilakantha Brahmanenpriesters and lives secluded from the world in an Indian grove near a temple. One day, when she went with her servant Mallika to take a bath in the nearby stream, penetrate Gerald and Frederic, two English officers, in the holy place, a. As Lakmé returns, Gérald can not hide fast enough and is discovered by her. Between the two is a conversation developed, and they fall in love gradually into each other. But then hears Lakmé her father return home and Gérald urges to flee - and rightly so, as noted as the father of the occurred fence, he vows to kill the one who has profaned the sacred garden.
Second Act
Nilakantha leads Lakmé before on the market place as a temple singer. He hopes that there would be betrayed by this ruse of the wicked in the sight of his daughter himself. The plan works, as Gérald is carefully vocals on Lakmé. After the crowd has run, make Nilakantha and the Brahmins Gérald and wound him. The Englishman is brought by slaves Lakmés Hadji in a secret shelter in the forest.
Act Three
Gérald is maintained by Lakmé at the cabin in the woods. When she goes to an adjacent source to draw holy water, Gérald is tracked down by his comrades Frédéric, who reminds him of his existing engagement and his military duty. Lakmé returns, you can feel the change that has gone into her lover in front of him, and eats a poisonous flower. It ranges Gérald the dish with the holy spring water to make him drink it. As Nilakantha finds them and wants to kill Gérald, keeps him dying Lakmé with the words back that both have been drinking the holy water, which Gérald the revenge be raptured. After her death, Nilakantha praises the skill that made his daughter go to paradise.
Formation
The Dutch- American singer Marie van Zandt impressed the composer during a performance of Jules Massenet's opera Manon so much that he processed this exotic subject for them. Marie van Zandt sang the title role in the premiere, since many of mainly French sopranos have designed the opera.
Music
Lakmé is a typical romantic aria with inserted ballet. Special accents trying Délibes here through the use of Indian -style melodies set. The title role is rich in high coloratura soprano with and requires a strong stage presence. The aria " Où va la jeune Hindoue " - known as Bell Song or Bell Song - applies as a showpiece for coloratura sopranos easy and requires a three- coated e in the ossia version of the aria, which is often not performed. The Flower Duet " Viens, Mallika! ... Sous le Dôme épais ' between Lakmé and her servant Mallika is one of the most popular duets of classical music.
Reception history
Lakmé is in Germany relatively rare in the repertoires of opera houses in France and the English-speaking world, however, is one of the opera of the standard repertoire.
The " Flower Duet " Lakmés and Mallikas is used in many movie soundtracks, such as in Five Corners, My bride, her father and I, desire, True Romance, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life, song of the mermaids, The L Word - If women love women, Bronson, Piranha 3D). It also appears in many commercials. The Flower Duet was also used in the 2001 appeared on the album Morning Orbit Song Black Black Heart by David Usher as background music. Likewise, the Flower Duet is used in the series Nip / Tuck - Beauty has its price, Episode Rose & Raven Rosenberg ( Season 2, Episode 9 ), as well as in the song Dear Mallika by LL Cool J from The Rapsody Overture.