About the work
Opera by Léo Delibes with a libretto by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille, composed in 1881/82 and premiered on 14 April 1883 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris.
Plot
In British colonial India, the Brahmin priest's daughter Lakmé falls in love with the British officer Gérald. When her father Nilakantha discovers the affair and wounds Gérald, Lakmé nurses him back to health in a forest hut. As Gérald wavers between her and his duty, Lakmé takes her own life.
Cultural significance
The Flower Duet between Lakmé and her servant Mallika and the virtuosic Bell Song are among the most famous numbers in French opera and became popular beyond the opera house, including in advertising. Lakmé belongs to the standard repertoire in France and the English-speaking world, though it is staged less often in Germany.