Lakmé by Delibes, Dg. 06 Febr. 2022, De (2022/2022), Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg, Russia

There is at least one highlight from Léo Delibes’ opera Lakmé that everybody knows: when two enchanting Hindu girls who have set out to gather lotus blossoms sing the Flower Duet, audiences always sense a thrill of recognition. Like pollen, this charming melody has been variously dispersed in advertisements and soundtracks, though Delibes was generous in refrains that caress the ears and which cede nothing at all to this popular “hit”, and for their sake it is worth listening to the opera in its entirety. In addition to the famous Duo des fleurs, from the stage one can hear passionate duets declaring love, heartfelt arias, enigmatic choral supplications, striking dance melodies of temple dancers and even vaudeville couplets. the lynchpin of the opera is Lakmé’s unbelievably virtuoso aria with the bells, which requires a fantastically supple voice and crystal-pure intonation for the impossibly high notes. the orchestra in Lakmé is magnificent: at times it renders delicate support to the soloists, at others it “sings” together with them, it creates almost tangible images of delightful tropical nature and it paints a colourful scene of a crowded bazaar. the love story of a British officer and the daughter of a Brahmin concludes sadly, as per the laws of the genre, and even though particularly sensitive members of the audience may well wipe away a tear at the finale, the romantic opera Lakmé leaves a bright impression that is rare indeed. Lakmé returned to the playbill of the Mariinsky Theatre in the autumn of 2020, when a concert performance took place. To stage this masterpiece of French opera, the theatre has invited Frenchwoman Isabelle Partiot-Pieri, who is both the production’s stage director and set designer.