Lakmé

About

The production directed by Krzysztof Kelm features a highly poetic, oriental color palette and a fairy-tale atmosphere. The staging begins with a projection of documentary footage from the era of the British protectorate in India, establishing the historical and colonial context. The first scenic image reveals a Hindu priest meditating, suspended in a black void. Visually, the production is characterized by vibrant colors—amaranth, yellow, and indigo—seen in the saris and dhotis of the Hindus worshipping in the temple. The lighting design emphasizes rays of light struggling to penetrate the dense jungle interior, where Lakmé nurses Gérald back to health and marries him according to Hindu ritual. The directorial vision highlights the cultural clash and the impossibility of coexistence between two fundamentally different mental and civilizational worlds.