Delibes: Lakmé - Duo des fleurs

Delibes: Lakmé - Duo des fleurs (Flower Duet), Sabine Devieilhe & Marianne Crebassa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1ZL5AxmK_A Sous le dôme épais Où le blanc jasmin À la rose s’assemble Sur la rive en fleurs, Riant au matin Viens, descendons ensemble. Doucement glissons de son flot charmant Suivons le courant fuyant Dans l’onde frémissante D’une main nonchalante Viens, gagnons le bord, Où la source dort et L’oiseau, l’oiseau chante. Sous le dôme épais Où le blanc jasmin, Ah! descendons Ensemble! Sous le dôme épais Où le blanc jasmin À la rose s’assemble Sur la rive en fleurs, Riant au matin Viens, descendons ensemble. Doucement glissons de son flot charmant Suivons le courant fuyant Dans l’onde frémissante D’une main nonchalante Viens, gagnons le bord, Où la source dort et L’oiseau, l’oiseau chante. Sous le dôme épais Où le blanc jasmin, Ah! descendons Ensemble! English Translation of the Flower Duet Under the thick dome where the white jasmine With the roses entwined together On the river bank covered with flowers laughing in the morning Let us descend together! Gently floating on its charming risings, On the river’s current On the shining waves, One hand reaches, Reaches for the bank, Where the spring sleeps, And the bird, the bird sings. Under the thick dome where the white jasmine Ah! calling us Together! Under the thick dome where white jasmine With the roses entwined together On the river bank covered with flowers laughing in the morning Let us descend together! Gently floating on its charming risings, On the river’s current On the shining waves, One hand reaches, Reaches for the bank, Where the spring sleeps, And the bird, the bird sings. Under the thick dome where the white jasmine Ah! calling us Together! This part of the story The Brahmin high priest, Nilakantha, has been forbidden to practice his religion when British forces arrive in the city. Secretly, he leads a group of people back the temple to worship. Nilakantha's daughter, Lakme, stays behind with her servant, Mallika, gathering flowers to prepare for a bath in the river. As they remove their jewels and clothing, the women sing their Flower Duet, describing the white jasmine, roses, and other flowers that adorn the riverbanks. As the two women disappear into the river, two British officers, Gerald and Frederic, and their girlfriends are having a picnic and stroll alongside the riverbank.