Le roi de Lahore

26, 27 July at 19:00 • Matinée 29 July at 14:00

The Coade Hall, Bryanston, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 0PS

An opera in five acts by Jules Massenet • Libretto by Louis Gallet • Sung in French with English surtitles

Le roi de Lahore has long been touted as a Massenet must! It bears all the hallmarks of our previous Massenet successes – Hérodiade in 2006 and the British stage première of Le Cid in 2018: great declamatory fanfares and ‘Grand Opera’ chorus tuttis intertwined with glorious love duets and arias – everything to fire your senses and stir the soul.

Brief Synopsis

The King of Lahore, Alim, is in love with Sitâ, a chaste priestess of Indra who he has secretly been visiting in the temple. The King’s minister, Scindia, is also in love with Sitâ and, when Sitâ rejects him, he swears revenge and orders her execution. To protect her, King Alim is forced to reveal his own illicit love for her. The High Priest, Timour, pronounces that, to atone for this sin, Alim must go into battle against the advancing forces. Scindia schemes to have Alim attacked and seizes power for himself. Alim returns wounded and dies in Sitâ’s arms.

In Paradise, Alim appears before the god Indra who agrees to his reincarnation – but as a commoner – and with his life linked to Sitâ’s. If she dies, he will die too. Reincarnated, Alim finds Sitâ mourning his death and still pursued by Scindia. Scindia orders the revenant killed but High Priest Timour intervenes.

Hiding in the temple to avoid forced marriage, Sitâ draws a dagger to kill herself but is surprised by the arrival of Alim and they try to flee. However, Scindia arrives with his soldiers and, trapped, Sitâ stabs herself. Alim feels the same blow and dies with her. Sitâ and Alim are united in celestial paradise.

Cast & Creative Team

Sitâ, priestess of Indra Seljan Nasibli
Kaled, The king’s servant Kezia Bienek
Alim, King of Lahore Amar Muchhala
Scindia, Minister to Alim Michael Anthony McGee
Timour, high priest of Indra Tim Bagley
Indra, an Indian deity Julian Close
A priest A chorister, to be appointed
Conductor Jeremy Carnall
Assistant conductor Sonia Ben Santamaria
Director Ella Marchment
Designer Rufus Martin
Costume designer Stewart J Charlesworth
Lighting designer James Smith
Chorus Master Stephen Harris
Orchestra Leader Emre Engin