Music #388 - Léo Delibes

Léo Delibes 

(1836–1891, French Romantic)

(pronounce: LAY-oh De-LEEB)  

Léo Delibes is particularly famous for his 
* ballets, especially Coppélia and Sylvia 
* operettas/operas, especially Lakmé.

Coppélia   

The 3-act ballet story is about Dr Coppélius who makes dolls. He has just invented a mechanical doll that he calls Coppélia, which looks just like a real belle… Naughty Swanilda disguised as Coppélia to fool the lonely old man. 

 full story (2h)

Some other selections:

* Swanilda & Franz 

* Swanilda solo in Act 3 
     - by Shin Seung-won 
     - by Bryony Walker 
* Czárdás

Delibes visited Hungary and returned with the famous csárdás, the Hungarian national dance, which he wrote into the score.

Royal Ballet (2000)

* Swanilda pretending to be Coppélia to play on Dr Coppélius

Kirov Ballet (1993)
* the Dawn (L'aurore) variation from Act III

Les filles de Cadix

His most popular song sets, Delibes uses the popular Spanish style in setting this song about girls and boys returning from seeing the bullfight and dancing the bolero.  

Sylvia 

Divertissement - Pizzicati

Lakmé 

An opera in 3 acts with 20 (French!) musical numbers, the story is set in the late 19^th century British Raj in India, when many Hindus could only practice their religion in secret. 

The whole opera from the Sydney Opera House, 

with English subtitles, starting with part 1 of 13.

Some other selections:

Act 1 – musical no. 2 – Duetto (The Flower Duet)

The Hindus go to perform their rites in a sacred Brahmin (婆羅門) temple under a high priest. The latter’s daughter Lakmé and her servant Mallika are left behind and go down to the river to gather flowers where they sing the famous "Flower Duet", in soprano and mezzo soprano, in appreciation of the flowers.

* Joan Sutherland (taller) & Huguette Tourangeau
* Anna Netrebko & Elina Garanca

  

Then, Mallika leaves Lakmé for a while. A British officer Gérald (from a picnic party) has been secretly watching and now appears. Lakmé and Gérald begin to fall in love with each other. The father returns and learns of the British officer's trespassing and vows revenge on him for his affront to Lakmé's honor.

Act 2 – musical no. 10 
- "Où va la jeune Hindoue? / Where is the young Hindu?" 
   (Air des clochettes / The Bell Song)
       

At a bazaar, her father forces Lakmé to sing in order to lure the trespasser  (Gérald) into identifying himself. This aria has long been a favorite recital piecefor coloratura sopranos (花腔女高音).

* Joan Sutherland - live opera

* Natalie Dessay  (Wow!)

* Maria Callas  (Wow!)

When Gérald steps forward, Lakmé faints, thus giving him away. The father stabs Gérald, wounding him. Lakmé takes Gérald to a secret hideout in the forest where she nurses him back to health…..  Good grief!

= = = = =  
In recent years, the Flower Duet has become familiar more widely because of its use in advertisements - in particular….

* British Airways  

Two humorous stewardesses on the job