Flower duet – Anna Netrebko & Elina Garanca (Lakmé de Delibes)

Duo des fleurs Léo Delibes

By U. Carew Delibes

Along a stream, the daughter of a Brahmin priest
and her maidservant sing and gather flowers, pleased
beneath the floral canopy, light in the East,
white jasmine mingled with rose, morning’s laughter seized.
‘O, let us gently glide along th’ enchanting flow.
O, let us drift together for forever eased,
that current following, wherever it might go,
upon the rippling, gleaming waters, to the shore,
so nonchalantly passing bird-chants in that glow,
o, past snow-winged swans, soft blue lotuses, and more,
so like the lovely Lady of Shalott, at peace
before the shutting of the door. O, je t’ adore.’