Samson et Dalila      

Samson et Dalila

Fast facts: 

Samson et Dalila, Op. 47, is a grand opera in three acts and four tableaux by Camille Saint-Saëns to a French libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire. It was first performed at the Grossherzogliches (Grand Ducal) Theater (now the Staatskapelle Weimar) in Weimar on 2 December 1877 in a German translation, due in part to Liszt's championship of the piece.

The opera is based on the Biblical tale of Samson and Delilah as recounted in the Old Testament's Book of Judges, chapters 16. It is the only opera by Saint-Saëns that is regularly performed. The second act, the love scene in Delilah's tent, is one of the set pieces that define French opera. Two of Delilah's arias are particularly well known: "Printemps qui commence" and "Mon cœur s'ouvre a ta voix" ("My heart opens itself to your voice", also known as "Softly awakes my heart"), the latter of which is one of the most popular recital pieces in the mezzo-soprano repertoire.

 

Main Cast:  

 

Samson, tenor; Dalila, mezzo-soprano; High Priest of Dagon, baritone; Abimélech, satrap of Gaza, bass; First Philistine, tenor; Second Philistine, bass;  Philistine messenger, tenor; an old Hebrew, bass

 

 

“Samson completely misunderstood his gift of strength.  He thought his strength was given to him so he could destroy anyone who didn’t agree with him.  He may have thought he was very spiritual, but he was not.  He reduced everything to simply killing and taking.”    (Lyric Opera News, Fall 2003)     

 

“In Act One he is an Old-Testament Ché Guevara.  In the second act we see that Samson completely misunderstands the spiritual meaning of his life.  He was of the flesh – a man filled with animalistic adrenalin – and that is why he was so easily corrupted.”    (Lyric Opera News, Fall 2003)