2:45pm – Sunday, July 22 on ABC1
L�o Delibes’ Lakm� may not be a household name but contains the ‘Flower Duet’ in Act I – one of the bestknown opera moments in the world.
Gerald is a lieutenant in the British Army stationed in India during the Raj. While out walking with friends he hears Lakm�, the Hindu princess, and her hand-maiden Mallika, singing, as they drift down a river under canopies of white jasmine. The music, the heavy scent and Lakme’s exotic looks prove to be quite intoxicating. A cross-cultural romance is unthinkable for both, but nevertheless they fall in love. Can Lakm� and Gerald be together, or will their families and duty tear them apart.
This Opera Australia (OA) co-production with Op�ra de Montr�al sees two of its most distinctive voices performing the famous duet. Emma Matthews brings her crystalline coloratura to the role of Lakm�, while Dominica Matthews is the darker-voiced Mallika.
Aldo Di Toro makes his role debut as the well-meaning soldier, Gerald. Di Toro has previously sung major roles in OA’s La boh�me, La traviata and Werther. Jane Parkin, Angela Brun and Luke Gabbedy complete the ensemble, with Roxane Hislop as Mistress Bentson, Stephen Bennett as Lakm�’s father Nilakantha and Edmund Choo as the scary Hadji.
Conducting Delibes’ luscious score is French conductor Emmanuel Joel-Hornak.
Lakm� will be shown in its entirety with no interval and is performed in French with English surtitles.
Screens on ABC2 – Sunday, July 22 at 10.50pm
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