The Flower Duet from Lakme Lyrics – Leo Delibes

About “Delibes: The Flower Duet (From 'Lakmé')“

The Flower Duet from the opera Lakmé by Léo Delibes is one of the most renowned and beloved pieces in the classical music repertoire. This duet is celebrated for its exquisite harmonies and enchanting melody, capturing a serene and idyllic moment between the two main characters.

• Composer: Léo Delibes
• Lyricists: Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille
• Singers: Katherine Jenkins, Kiri Te Kanawa, Anthony Inglis
• Performed by: Philharmonia Orchestra
• Album: Thank You For Everything
• Release Date: January 1, 2014
• Language: French
• Duration: 3:50
• Label: Decca (UMO)

Annotations and Meaning.

[Lyrics]

Doucement glissons de son flot charmant
Softly let us glide along its charming flow
Suivons le courant fuyant
Following the fleeing current
Dans l'onde frémissante
In the shimmering wave
D'une main nonchalante
With a nonchalant hand
Viens, gagnons le bord,
Come, let us reach the shore,
Où la source dort et
Where the source sleeps and
L'oiseau, l'oiseau chante.
The bird, the bird sings.
Sous le dôme épais
Under the thick dome
Où le blanc jasmin,
Where the white jasmine,
Ah! descendons Ensemble!
Ah! let us descend together!
Sous le dôme épais
Under the thick dome
Où le blanc jasmin
Where the white jasmine
À la rose s'assemble
Blends with the rose
Sur la rive en fleurs,
On the flowering shore,
Riant au matin
Laughing in the morning
Viens, descendons ensemble.
Come, let us descend together.
Doucement glissons de son flot charmant
Softly let us glide along its charming flow
Suivons le courant fuyant
Following the fleeing current
Dans l'onde frémissante
In the shimmering wave
D'une main nonchalante
With a nonchalant hand
Viens, gagnons le bord,
Come, let us reach the shore,
Où la source dort et
Where the source sleeps and
L'oiseau, l'oiseau chante.
The bird, the bird sings.
Sous le dôme épais
Under the thick dome
Où le blanc jasmin,
Where the white jasmine,
Ah! descendons Ensemble!
Ah! let us descend together!
This beautiful duet captures a moment of tranquility and connection with nature, expressed through the delicate interplay of voices and the serene imagery of a peaceful riverbank adorned with jasmine and roses. The recurring invitation to "descend together" signifies a unity and harmony between the singers, reflecting the overall theme of the piece.