Opera Plots I - MDC Faculty Home Pages

King, expressing sympathy with him for the loss of his gay young son. Here, however, he now
finds a way out of his difficulties; for his pretended son being reported dead, there is no need to
keep up the tiresome deception any longer. Even Benoit himself is tired of the farce; and on
obtaining permission to wed the charming Javotte, and receiving generous gifts of money from the
young ladies for assisting them in their love-making, he is rendered happy. The King having
bestowed a dukedom on the old Marquis in sympathy for his supposed loss, the delighted father
feels he can afford to behave generously to his daughters; and the girls are therefore permitted to
accept the gallant young suitors of their own choice.
36. LAKMÉ
Romantic Opera in Three Acts By Léon Délibes
Libretto From the Poem of Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille
First Produced Paris, 1883
Chief Characters Lakmé, Gerald, Nilakantha, Frederick
THE action takes place in India, and opens in the sacred grounds of the Hindoo Priest, Nilakantha,
who has an inveterate hatred for the English. During his absence, however, a party of English
officers and ladies enter, out of curiosity, and are charmed with the lovely garden. They soon
depart, with the exception of the officer, Gerald, who remains to make a sketch, in spite of the
warnings of his friend, Frederick. Presently the priest's lovely daughter, Lakmé, enters, having
come by the river; and as she steps from her boat, and encounters the admiring gaze of the
fascinating Gerald, a mutual love springs within the hearts of the pair, who make friends, their
passion rapidly increasing. They are interrupted, however, by the return of the priest, who is
furious at the presence of a foreign stranger in his sacred grounds; and Gerald has to make a quick
escape, being assisted by a sudden thunderstorm, which prevents Nilakantha from following. The
angry priest, however, is determined to discover the intruder who has dared to make love to his
daughter, and to be revenged upon him; and for this purpose, in the next act, we find him in the
city market-place, with Lakmé, both disguised in the garments of beggars. He forces Lakmé to
sing, hoping thus to attract the attention of her lover, should he be amongst the party of English
who are buying in the bazaars; and this cunning plan succeeds, for Gerald, who is indeed present,
instantly recognises the thrilling voice of the fair Hindoo maiden whose bower he had invaded,
and he eagerly moves towards her. The outraged priest, however, by a dexterous movement,
savagely stabs him in the back, and vanishes before the deed has been discovered. Act 3 takes
place in a beautiful jungle whither Gerald has been brought by the loving Lakmé, and nursed back
to health by the tender maiden with whom he passes his days in happy idleness during the healing
of his wound. Lakmé, however, fearing lest his love may be but evanescent, goes forth to seek the
magic water, which, according to a Hindoo superstition, will render the drinker of it eternally
constant in love; and during her absence Gerald's resting-place is discovered by his English
friends, who gladly welcome him, having believed him dead. His fellow-officer, Frederick,
entreats him to return with them at once to his duty, being eager to entice him from the Hindoo
maiden; and Gerald is at length persuaded to do so, remembering, with remorse, the fair English
girl to whom he is betrothed. Lakmé now returns, and on learning that her lover is about to leave
her, and that he will be lost to her for ever, she gathers some poisonous. herbs, the deadly juices of
which she drinks; and as Gerald hastens to her side for a last embrace, she dies in his arms. At this