The ‘Flower Duet’ song
Last year a California high school choir sang ‘Flower Duet,’ a song from the Orientalist, India-themed opera Lakmé later used as the British flag carrier’s theme. I wonder if the desi girl in the choir knows it’s the femme version of the Kohinoor diamond. Mr. Everything Comes From India strikes again:
Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes… based on the 1880 novel Rarahu ou Le Mariage de Loti by Pierre Loti… Like many other French operas of the late 19th century, Lakmé captures the ambience of the Orient that was in vogue during the latter part of the nineteenth century; Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers and Massenet’s Le Roi de Lahore being two other examples…
Nilakantha’s daughter Lakmé (which derives from the Sanskrit Lakshmi) and her servant Mallika… go down to the river to gather flowers where they sing the famous “Flower Duet…” A party of British officers Frederic and Gerald arrive nearby while on a picnic… While Lakmé fetches sacred water that will confirm the vows of the lovers, Fréderic, a fellow British officer, appears before Gérald and reminds him of his duty to his regiment. After Lakmé returns, she senses the change in Gérald and realizes that she has lost him. She… [kills] herself by eating the poisonous datura leaf. [Link]
And here’s a British Airways ad with the same theme:
on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008, 5:11 pm in History, Literature, Music › 
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Thanks for the hat tip(s), Manish!
British Airways has also used pieces from several other opera themes in their commercials. Although the intent is to simply evoke a certain haute couture ambience, true aficianados will read more into the libretto. The Flower Duet brings up images of gentle floating and joint descents, for example. The irony of a British company using an Orientalist operatic theme, which deals, moreover, with an Indian lady and her maid contemplating suicide, is presumably lost in the bargain.
Similarly, they’ve used Va Pensiero from Verdi’s Nabucco, presumably because it sounds out ‘Fly, thought, on golden wings’. The irony is that it is a chorus sung by Jewish slaves longing for freedom.
Many other companies have used operatic themes in their commercials. Opera is All Around You
I have to smile at the thought that you’re just now discovering Lakme. ^__^
That Flower Duet is probably one of the most frequently-performed choral/orchestral/piano pieces ever. Can’t count how many times I had to perform it in band/choir.
(It’s also really easy to teach because it’s, like, one phrase repeated over and over and over…
… close parentheses.)
Can you explain the Kohinoor Diamond bit?
I always thought Lakmé was a salon where I got my feet scraped with razor blades by a balding man named Chandrakanth…
Wait, that’s my cousin in the choir!
I still can’t equate the Flower Duet with BA. Because everytime I’ve stepped on a BA flight, I’ve heard Vaughan Williams playing over the speakers. I believe the sly message they’re trying to get across is “Lie back and think of England”. oh my.
Chachaji - Mr. Opera, you’re the best!
Another irony is that Va Pensiero, the Hebrew Slave Chorus had political significance in Verdi’s time, this chorus was considered the unofficial national anthem for Italians, a sincere call for freedom from Austrian domination in Italy. Viva Verdi!
ugh. I hope they at least brought out a fresh pack of blades for you.
I love that British Airways ad - I remember when it was on right before “The World This Week” on Doordarshan.
Just that it’s India-related plunder with a central place in British branding :)