Lakmé

Although the music boasts great charm and the libretto is no more absurd than found in many staples, Léo Delibes's 1883 opera—an example of the vogue for Eastern exoticism that characterized the age—has sadly never gained more than a tenuous foothold in the standard repertory. This opulent 2011 mounting by Opera Australia stars Emma Matthews, whose soprano voice exhibits dead-on pitch and amazing coloratura prowess, as Lakmé, the beautiful daughter of Indian Brahmin priest Nilakantha (Stephen Bennett). Lakmé captivates British officer Gerald (Aldo Di Toro), which enrages her father (who sees the English as foreign occupiers and defilers of his temple), who attempts to kill him. Lakmé nurses the injured man back to health, but rather than make him choose between her and his soldierly duty, she poisons herself. Conductor Emmanuel Joel-Hornak commands the score, savoring both its dancelike and romantic qualities: Joel-Hornak and Matthews craft an exquisite performance of the most famous number, the Bell Song, and along with Dominica Matthews, who portrays the handmaiden Mallika, offer an enchanting reading of the Flower Duet. Marred only by the excision of the Act II ballet (the medium in which Delibes really excelled), this excellent production also features a fine supporting cast, solid choral work, and lush sets and costumes. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and LPCM stereo, extras include an introduction by director Roger Hodgman, and a cast gallery. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)