ACT 1 SCENE 1
THE SACRED FOREST, OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE
Warriors returning from the great tiger hunt are joined by Solor, the noblest
warrior in the land. He asks to be left alone to pray before the Sacred Fire,
but once the warriors have departed, he calls for the head Fakir, Magdaveya,
and asks him to arrange a rendez-vous for him with the bayadère, Nikiya. They
are interrupted by the arrival of the priests and the High Brahmin who orders
Magdaveya to gather the other Fakirs to prepare the Sacred Fire for the coming
celebration.
The bayadères, or temple
dancers, appear, and among them is Nikiya, who has been chosen to be
consecrated head bayadère. The High Brahmin is overwhelmed by her beauty and
tells Nikiya of his love for her. Nikiya, however, rejects his attentions for
he is a man of God. The High Brahmin is deeply hurt by her reaction to his
declaration of love. As the celebration begins, the temple dancers bring water
to the Fakirs, and Magdaveya informs Nikiya of Solor’s message. Nikiya agrees
to meet him, but not before the High Brahmin has seen her with Magdaveya and
become suspicious. The ceremony ends and the celebrants return to the temple.
Magdaveya calls for Solor
and tells him to hide in the forest until Nikiya returns to meet him. She soon
appears, and when Solor joins her, they swear eternal love over the Sacred
Fire. Unbeknown to Solor and Nikiya, the High Brahmin has been watching them
from within the temple, and after an uneasy Magdaveya separates the lovers, the
High Brahmin emerges in a fury and invokes the gods to help him kill Solor.
ACT 1 SCENE 2
A ROOM IN THE PALACE
Warriors have been invited to the palace to honour Solor. The Rajah announces
that Solor’s reward for his valour will be marriage to Gamzatti. He presents
his daughter to Solor, and when he lifts her veil, Solor is overcome by her
beauty. Even though he has sworn eternal love to Nikiya, he cannot resist
Gamzatti’s attractions nor refuse the Rajah’s wishes. Entertainment is provided
for the betrothed couple, which ends with the arrival of the High Brahmin.
He asks to speak privately
with the Rajah, and informs him of Nikiya’s and Solor’s love. He had hoped that
the Rajah would kill Solor, but the Rajah instead decides that Nikiya must die,
to the dismay of the High Brahmin. Gamzatti overhears their conversation and
summons Nikiya to her rooms. She tries to bribe her to leave Solor by offering
her jewels and gifts, but Nikiya refuses. In desperation, she tries to stab
Gamzatti, but is stopped by her attendant, Aya. As Nikiya runs out of the room,
Gamzatti, like her father, determines to kill her.
ACT 1 SCENE 3
THE GARDEN OF THE PALACE
Festivities are presented in honour of the betrothal of Gamzatti and Solor. The
High Brahmin brings Nikiya to dance for the ceremony. She cannot accept the
engagement and expresses her sadness in her dance. The maid, Aya, gives her a
basket of flowers which she says are from Solor, and Nikiya’s spirits brighten.
However, a poisonous snake is hidden among the flowers, which were actually sent
by the Rajah and Gamzatti. The snake bites Nikiya as she lifts the basket to
smell the flowers. The High Brahmin offers her an antidote to the poison, but
the moment before she drinks it, Nikiya sees Solor being led away by the Rajah
and Gamzatti, and decides to die.
ACT 2
SOLOR’S TENT
Despondent and depressed by Nikiya’s death, Solor smokes opium, given to him by
Magdaveya to deaden his grief. He hallucinates and conjures a vision of the
dead Nikiya. She appears in the Kingdom of the Shades, and Solor reminisces
about her dance of love by the Sacred Fire, and as the warriors enter his tent
to prepare him for the wedding to Gamzatti, the vision of Nikiya continues to
haunt and confuse him.
ACT 3
THE TEMPLE
In the shadow of the Great Buddha, a bronze idol dances as the High Brahmin and
the priests prepare for the wedding of Gamzatti and Solor. The betrothed couple
enters, and the bayadères perform a ritual candle dance around them, which is
reminiscent of the Sacred Fire burning outside the temple. The Rajah, Gamzatti
and Solor dance, but Solor is continually haunted by the vision of Nikiya,
which is visible only to him. During the dance, a basket of flowers identical
to the one given to Nikiya mysteriously appears, and Gamzatti, terrified and
consumed with guilt, urges her father to complete the wedding ceremony. The
High Brahmin performs the ceremony on the steps of the altar, but Solor cannot
force himself to say the vows. The infuriated Gods destroy the temple and bury
everyone under its ruins. The spirits of Nikiya and Solor are reunited in
eternal love.
