Delibes: Lakmé

“Since that day, in the depths of the woods, / The traveller sometimes hears / The gentle sound of the stick / On which tinkles the bell of the charmers,” sings the title character of Lakmé, Léo Delibes’s opera set in British India during the time of the Sepoy Rebellion, a work that is staged less frequently today. One of the highlights of the opera, whose passionate and expressive music is enriched with gentle harmonies and exotic Eastern colours, is the Bell Song. As an independent concert piece, it is extremely popular at coloratura soprano recitals; yet the (seemingly) light-hearted song is in fact an instrument of dark intrigue within a tragic love story unfolding in the shadow of war. Another famous excerpt, Flower Duet, often detached from its context and heard in films of the most diverse genres and styles, commercials, and even rap songs, might be familiar to those who have never heard of Delibes’s work. Uncovering the fate of Lakmé and her companion Mallika, who sing the celebrated duet, as well as that of two rival British officers, is the aim of the versatile artist János Szemenyei in his more light-toned, opera-introduction-style highlights performance incorporating elements of stand-up comedy. The production also serves as a gap-filler, since it last appeared in the OPERA’s repertoire in 1959. The new format, of which Lakmé is something of a first taste, was given the title Opera Gyros. Delibes’s opera is shaken awake from seven decades of slumber with the help of actor and comedian Dániel Mogács. Further productions to be introduced into the series later on will feature highlights in sets and costumes interspersed with stand-up monologues connected loosely to the plot.