Sabine Devieilhe; Frederic Antoun; Stephane Degout; Ambroisine Bre; Philippe Estephe; Elisabeth Boudreault; Marielou Jacquard; Mireille Delunsch; Francois Rougier; Orchestra and Choir Pygmalion; Raphael Pichon - Leo Delibes: Lakme

Premiered in 1883, Lakme remains one of the most popular of all French operas. Reflecting contemporary tastes, the original source material presented a tragic liaison between a French officer and a Tahitian woman on a Pacific island, but Delibes moved the location to British-ruled India where the two central characters are torn between passion and loyalty, and assailed by a fanatical religious leader. For this opera Delibes wrote music of indelible beauty, including the much-loved 'Flower Duet' and 'Bell Song'.