"Sous le dôme épais" is a popular duet for soprano and mezzo soprano from the opera Lakmé, first performed in Paris in 1883. Set in British India, the duet takes place between characters Lakmé, the daughter of a Brahmin priest, and her servant Mallika, as they as they remove their jewels and clothing to gather hite jasmine, roses, and other flowers by the river.
Loose English translation of the French lyrics is as follows:
Under the thick dome where the white jasmine
With the roses entwined together
On the river bank covered with flowers laughing in the morning
Let us descend together!
Gently floating on its charming risings,
On the river’s current
On the shining waves,
One hand reaches,
Reaches for the bank,
Where the spring sleeps,
And the bird, the bird sings.
Under the thick dome where the white jasmine
Ah! calling us
Together!
Under the thick dome where white jasmine
With the roses entwined together
On the river bank covered with flowers laughing in the morning
Let us descend together!
Gently floating on its charming risings,
On the river’s current
On the shining waves,
One hand reaches,
Reaches for the bank,
Where the spring sleeps,
And the bird, the bird sings.
Under the thick dome where the white jasmine
Ah! calling us
Together!
Truly a magnificent composition that connects the 2 ends of the world.