Romantic Thursday: Delibes – Sous le dôme épais (Lakmé) (1883)

The “Flower Duet” (“Sous le dôme épais”) is a famous soprano and mezzo-soprano duet from Léo Delibes’ 1883 opera Lakmé, set in British-colonized India. It is renowned for its tranquil, melodic, and exotic sound, featuring the characters Lakmé and her servant Mallika gathering flowers by a river (white jasmine, roses, and blue lotuses).