Language: French
Composer: Léo Delibes
Librettist: Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille
Characters:
* Lakmé: a young Brahmin woman
* Gérald: a French officer
* Nilakantha: Lakmé's father, a Brahmin priest
* Frédéric: Gérald's friend
* Mallika: Lakmé's friend
* Hadji: a fakir
* Ellen: an Englishwoman
* Rose: an Englishwoman
Synopsis:
The opera is set in India during the British Raj. Gérald and Frédéric, two French officers, are hunting in the forest when they come across Lakmé, a young Brahmin woman. Lakmé is immediately smitten with Gérald, but their love is forbidden by their different religions.
Lakmé's father, Nilakantha, is a Brahmin priest who is against any contact between his daughter and the British. He forbids Lakmé from seeing Gérald, and she is forced to choose between her love for him and her duty to her father.
Lakmé chooses love, and she and Gérald elope. They are pursued by Nilakantha and his followers, and Lakmé is eventually killed. Gérald is heartbroken, and he returns to France.
Words:
* Lakmé: "Où va la jeune Hindoue?"
* Gérald: "C'est toi, Lakmé, que j'aime!"
* Nilakantha: "Je ne veux pas que ma fille ait de contact avec les Britanniques."
* Frédéric: "Je suis désolé pour toi, Gérald."
* Mallika: "Lakmé, tu dois choisir entre ton amour pour Gérald et ton devoir envers ton père."
* Hadji: "Je vais te guider vers le bonheur."
* Ellen: "Vous êtes imprudents, Gérald."
* Rose: "Je suis inquiète pour vous, Gérald."