Flower Duet
The "Flower Duet" is a duet for soprano and mezzo-soprano in the first act of the tragic opera Lakmé, premiered in Paris in 1883 and composed by Léo Delibes.
It is sung by the characters Lakmé, daughter of a Brahmin priest, and her servant Mallika, as they go to gather flowers by a river.
[1] The duet is frequently used in advertisements and films[2][better source needed] and is popular as a concert piece.
The duet has become a staple of British Airways' brand image, having first been adapted for the track "Aria" in the airline's "face" advertisements of the 1980s by Yanni and Malcolm McLaren.
[3] It has been featured in many subsequent advertisements for the airline and is used as its inflight boarding music.
[4][5] More recently, it has been heard in bits by The Kids In The Hall and Astron-6, and as soundtrack in films such as Carlito's Way, I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, The Hunger, Meet the Parents, Anomalisa, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, Piranha 3D, The Angry Birds Movie, The Occupant and True Romance; and television shows including Sex and the City, Regular Show,Parks and Recreation and The Simpsons.
[6] The duet's time signature is 68; its key is B major, except for the part "Mais, je ne sais" until "les lotus bleus," which is in G major.
That part has a slightly faster tempo (=160) than the surrounding lines (=144).
The final reprise is in the original key and tempo.
French lyrics Lakmé: Viens, Mallika, les lianes en fleurs Lakmé: Jettent déjà leur ombre Lakmé: Sur le ruisseau sacré Lakmé: qui coule, calme et sombre, Lakmé: Eveillé par le chant des oiseaux tapageurs.
maîtresse, c'est l'heure Mallika: où je te vois sourire, Mallika: L'heure bénie où je puis lire Mallika: Dans le coeur toujours fermé Mallika: De Lakmé!
L.: Rive en fleurs, frais matin, M.: Sur la rive en fleurs, riant au matin,
L.: Dôme épais, blanc jasmin, M.: Sous le dôme épais, Sous le blanc jasmin,
L.: Mais, je ne sais quelle crainte subite L.: s’empare de moi.
L.: Quand mon père va seul à leur ville maudite, L.: Je tremble, je tremble d'effroi!
M.: Pour que le Dieu Ganeça le protège, M.: Jusqu'à l'étang où s'ébattent joyeux M.: Les cygnes aux ailes de neige, M.: Allons cueillir les lotus bleus.
L.: Oui, près des cygnes aux ailes de neige, L.: Allons cueillir les lotus bleus.
L.: Rive en fleurs, frais matin, M.: Sur la rive en fleurs, riant au matin,
L.: Dôme épais, blanc jasmin, M.: Sous le dôme épais, où le blanc jasmin
Literal English Come, Mallika, the flowering lianas already cast their shadow on the sacred stream which flows, calm and dark, awakened by the song of rowdy birds.
In order for him to be protected by Ganesh To the pond where joyfully play The snow-winged swans Let us pick blue lotuses.
Yes, near the swans with wings of snow, And pick blue lotuses.
Singable English[7] Come, Mallika, the flowering vines Their shadows now are throwing Along the sacred stream, That calmly here is flowing; Enlivened by the songs of birds among the pines.
't is now – When I behold you smiling, In this blest hour, no cares beguiling, That your oft-closed heart I may read, Lakmé!
But, why my heart's swift terror invested, Doth not yet appear, When my father 'lone goes to your city detested, I tremble, I tremble with fear.
May the god, Ganesa, keep him from dangers, Till he arrives at the pool just in view, Where wild swans, those snowy wing'd strangers, Come to devour the lotus blue.
Yes, where the wild swans, those snowy wing'd strangers, Come to feed on lotus blue.
