Hello again faithful followers! Today I am going to review and discuss the very famous and well-known (you've heard it, I promise) Flower Duet from the opera, Lakme.
This duet has been used for several advertising campaigns, including British Airways and Godiva Chocolate; it was also used in many movies, such as Chicken Little, Meet the Parents, Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life, and The American President. The music is usually used to portray decadence, even though the lyrics are juxtaposed to the absolutely gorgeously ear melting harmonies between the two voices.
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Lakme was written from 1881 and 1882, and was premiered in Paris in 1883. The plot views British occupied India through rose-colored glasses, as did many operas surrounding that area during this time period. The two main characters are Lakme and Malika. Lakme is the daughter of a Brahmin priest, and Malika is her slave, though the opera depicts them as very close friends (since slavery is an uncomfortable subject and no one wanted to confront THAT at the opera. Le sigh). Its a typical love story - girl falls in love with boy, boy gets wounded by rival, boy is bound to honour, etc.
In this duet, Lakme and Malika are at the river gathering flowers. You can find the translation here. The translation leaves out the part at about 1:28, when Lakme breaks away and sings on her own. In this section, Lakme laments that her father has gone into the town, and she is worried for his safety. Things seem bleak, but Malika reassures her when she responds at 1:45. Then they sing some more gorgeous harmonies. Sung well, this duet will melt the heart of even the most fervent opera hater.
Though there are many amazing renditions and recordings of this duet, this is my favorite. The soprano part (the high voice) is sung by Natalie Dessay, who has sung this duet with more partners than any other soprano. The mezzo-soprano (lower voice) is sung by Delphine Haidan, who has one of the richest and stunning voices in the opera community. This piece requires voices that blend exceptionally well, and this version is the epitome of blend and balance. Superb.
***Side note: this recording starts right at the duet, and does not include the recitative (sung-spoken bit) which precedes it. You can here the recitative here, sung by Anna Netrebko (soprano) and Elina Garanca (mezzo-soprano), two more fabulous opera singers. The translation of the recitative is basically Lakme calling Malika to come to her and help gather flowers near the swans.
Stay tuned for a new post on Jazz, coming soon!
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