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Lakmé
Opera in 3 acts
Music by Léo Delibes
Libretto by Edmond Goudinet
& Philippe Gille
First Performance: Opéra-Comique, Paris, April 14, 1883
Cast:
Gerard Tenor
Frederic Baritone
Nilakantha Bass
Lakmé Soprano
Mallika Mezzo
soprano
Hadji Tenor
Ellen Soprano
Rose Soprano
Miss Benson Mezzo soprano
A Fortune Teller Actor
A Chinese Merchant Actor
A Sepoy Actor
Chorus: SSSTTBB
Ballet: Act II
Background
Synopsis
The
first act presents the private gardens of Nilakantha, an Indian priest,
who has a great dislike for all foreigners.
A small party of English ladies and British officers, including
Gerald and Frederick, intrude upon his sacred grounds while strolling
about in search of amusement. They discover some magnificent jewels,
which Lakmé, daughter of Nilakantha, has left upon a shrine, and Gerald
is so struck by their beauty that he remains to make a sketch of them
for his financée, Ellen, while the others, realizing the impropriety of
their intrusion, retire unnoticed. Lakmé soon returns, and on seeing
Gerald immediately falls in love with him, and warns him of the death
penalty which will result if his presence is discovered. Gerald hastily
conceals himself as Nilakantha enters, but the wily priest discovers his
footprints, and declares that he must be captured, and suffer the
penalty for his rashness.
In the second act, Lakmé and her father, disguised as Penitents,
appears in the public square, where a grand festival is taking place in
honor of the Gods of India. Many English people are present, and the
priest commands his daughter to sing before them, hoping she will be
recognized by the intruder, and that he will thus be induced to disclose
himself.
The plan succeeds, and Nilakantha, determined on
revenge, steals up behind Gerald and stabs him in the back. Lakmé, who
witnesses the deed, hurries to the assistance of her lover, and with aid
of Hadji, her slave, removes him to a hut in the forest, where he is
seen in the third act being nursed back to life and strength by the
faithful Lakmé, who, knowing the secret properties of the Indian plants,
soon restores him to perfect health. Under her tender care and affection
Gerald forgets his former love and duties, and swears eternal love of
Lakmé. To prove his constancy, he begs her to procure a draught of the
sacred water which possesses the property of making earthy love eternal.
While she is absent in search of it, Frederick appears on the scene,
urges his friend to leave Lakmé and his present mode of living and to
return to his fiancée and his duties in the army. Gerald reluctantly
consents on hearing that his regiment is about to be ordered into
action, and Frederick leaves just as Lakmé returns with the magic
potion. She lovingly offers it to him, but as she does so the fifes and
drums of his troop are heard in the distance preparing for their
departure, and the love of duty overmastering him, Gerald refuses to
drink. The heart-broken Lakmé immediately sees they are estranged
forever, and in despair she takes a deadly poison, and falls dying in
the arms of her lover as the angry priest and his Hindu followers arrive
on the scene. With her last breath Lakmé urges her father to forgive
him, and, the request being granted, Gerald is allowed to depart
unharmed.
Libretto
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Last updated: January 22, 2008