"Delibes's Lakmé has maintained its position on the fringes of the repertory for over a century almost entirely as a result of two highlights which have found favour with coloratura sopranos ... The production here by Laurent Pelly also takes a fairly traditional view of the drama, if it can be described as such ... As that implacable father Stéphane Degout, a baritone rather than the usual bass, begins in a somewhat laid-back fashion with a lyrical expansiveness of tone, but he soon comes to grips with the intolerable nature of the character and his violent denunciations of his daughter and her mysterious lover are totally believable ... The generally rather abstract stage designs by Camille Dugas work well ... But a real plus for this performance is the playing of the orchestra on period instruments ... under the enthusiastic direction of the lithe Raphaël Pichon ... and would lead me to recommend this production fervently to any purchaser who wishes to possess Lakmé in the visual medium. They ... are unlikely to find the musical results better served elsewhere"

"Opera choice: Laurent Pelly transforms Delibes's opera into an exploration of colonialism and cultural appropriation ... Sabine Devieilhe's Lakmé is superb, with silvery tone and jewel-like above the stave ... Raphaël Pichon, conducting Pygmalion on original instruments, relishes Delibes's lush orchestration"

"Die indisch duftende "Lakmé" von Leo Delibes ist ein handlungsmässig einfaches Singspiel ... Und während Raphaël Pichon seine historisch informieren Vokal- wie Instrumentalensembles Pygmalion zu einem trocken-spritzigen, aber auch dunkel-pikanten Klang anhält, versucht Laurent Pelly in neutral anmutenden Dekors die Klischées der Geschichte erfolgreich zu regieumschiffen. Er zeigt Lakmé (die glöckschenhell-feine, auch kratzbürstige Sabine Devieilhe) als in einem käfig ausgestelltes Instrument ihres Vaters"

"Leo Delibes var en særdeles dygtig musikdramatiker, som ... Laurent Pellys enkle og funktionelle iscenesættelse fanger på en fin måde ... Frem for alt er det en forestilling i musikalsk topklasse. Ensemble Pygmalion og dirigent Raphaël Pichon er specialiseret i periodeinstrumenter ... og et udsøgt ensemble af rent franske sangere skolet i den autentiske franske stil giver et sjældent harmonisk lydbillede. Sabine Devieilhe er et fund i titelrollen med en klokkeklar sopran ... Hendes samspil med Ambroisine Bré i den berømte 'Blomsterduet' er let og duftende, slutscenen gribende ... En klar anbefaling"