Samson and Delilah (opera)

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Samson et Dalila (English: Samson and Delilah) is a grand opera in three acts by Camille Saint-Saëns to a French libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire. It was first performed at the Grossherzogliches (Grand Ducal) Theater in Weimar on December 2, 1877 in a German translation.

The opera, based on the Biblical tale of Samson and Delilah, is the one opera by this French composer that is regularly performed. The second act, the love scene in Delilah's tent, is one of the set pieces that define French opera.

Contents 1 History 2 Stature 3 Origin 4 Roles 5 Synopsis 6 Selected recordings

[edit] History

Saint-Saëns began composing the work as an oratorio in 1868, but his librettist, Ferdinand Lemaire, convinced him of its theatrical potential, and Liszt offered to produce it at Weimar, where he was musical director at the cosmopolitan, progressive and highly musical grand-ducal court. In France, the fact that the opera was composed of Biblical subject matter created resistance to its staging. Samson, in fact, wasn't heard in France until 1890, receiving its French premiere in the provincial city of Rouen. By that time, Pauline Viardot, who had championed the opera, for whom it was written, and to whom Saint-Saëns dedicated the score, was too old to sing Dalila. In London, the Lord Chamberlain kept Samson et Dalila from being staged, though it was presented as an oratorio, which was the form in which Saint-Saëns had first conceived it.

One of the best-known melodies from the opera is the Bacchanalia.

[edit] Stature

Delilah is one of the great roles for mezzo-soprano. Saint-Saëns dedicated it to Pauline Viardot, who organized a private performance of the music from Act II at her house in Paris, with Saint-Saëns at the piano, in the vain hope of interesting the director of the Opéra. The selection "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix" ("My heart opens itself to your voice") is a popular recital piece. Two of Delilah's arias are particularly well known: "Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix" and "Printemps qui commence."

[edit] Origin

The episode of Samson and Delilah comes from the Old Testament, in the Book of Judges, chapter 16. Like tales of his approximate contemporary Hercules, the violence and erotic extravagance of this folk hero, with its exotic color, reversal of patriarchal strength and catastrophic heroic end, all appealed especially to European Baroque artists of the 17th century.

[edit] Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, December 2, 1877 (Conductor: Eduard Lassen)
Samson	tenor	Franz Ferenczy
Abimélech, satrap of Gaza	bass
The High Priest of Dagon	baritone	M. Milde
First Philistine	tenor
Second Philistine	bass
A Philistine messenger	tenor
Dalila	mezzo-soprano	Auguste von Müller
An old Hebrew	bass
Hebrews, Philistines

[edit] Synopsis

Place: Land of Israel.

Time: circa 1150 BC.

ACT I

Palestine, 1150 B.C. In a square in Gaza, a group of Hebrews beg Jehovah for relief from their bondage to the Philistines. This first scene gives the clearest signs of the work’s origins as an oratorio, with a fine sombre opening for the chorus leading to a fugue on the words ‘Nous avons vu nos cités renversées’ (We have seen our cities overthrown).

Opening Chorus: "Dieu, d’Israël"

Samson steps forward and tries to revive the Israelites morale and faith in God. The aria is set, at times, against the Chorus’ prayer.

Aria: "Arrêtez, ô mes frères"

Abimelech, the Philistine governor, appears and taunts the Israelits, saying that they are helpless because their god has abandoned them.

Aria: "Ce Dieu que votre voix implore"

Samson kills him and leads the Hebrews away. The High Priest of Dagon comes from the Philistine temple and curses Samson's prodigious strength, leaving with the slain man's bier. An Old Hebrew praises the returning Samson. In an attempt to seduce Samson away from his leadership of the Israelite uprising, Dalila and a group of girls dance for him and Dalila sings how spring is blossoming all around her yet, in her heart, she feels like it is still winter.

Aria: "Printemps qui commence"

Dalila invites Samson to come that night to her nearby dwelling, and the curtain falls as it become apparent that Samson has become deaf to the Old Hebrew's dour prophecies.

ACT II

The introduction paints a musical picture of the luxuriant foliage that decks Delilah’s retreat. Dalila knows that Samson is entranced with her and will come to her instead of leading the revolution against the Philistines. She sings seductively of the powers of love to ensnare Samson. She says that all of his strength is hopeless to withstand love's onslaught.

Aria: "Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse"

In an attempt to close the trap which she has set for Samson, Dalila tells Samson seductively that she is completely his if he wants her. She begs him to respond to her caresses, hoping that he will finally let go of all other things and concentrate completely on her. Note: At the end of the second verse Samson joins in to make it a duet.

Aria: "Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix"

Samson appears, passionate in spite of himself; when Dalila has him in her power, she feigns disbelief in his constancy and demands that he show his love by confiding in her the secret of his strength, weeping when he refuses. Samson hears rolling thunder as a warning from God but cannot resist following Dalila inside. Not long afterward, having finally learned that the secret of Samson's strength is his long hair, she calls to hidden Philistine soldiers, who rush in to capture and blind Samson.

ACT III

Scene i: In a dungeon at Gaza, the sightless Samson pushes a grist mill in a circle, praying for his people, who will suffer for his sin. He hears their voices castigating him.

Scene ii: During a bacchanal in the Temple of Dagon, Dalila and the High Priest taunt Samson.

Dance: "Bacchanale"

When they force him to kneel to Dagon, he asks a boy to lead him to the two main pillars of the temple. Samson prays to Jehovah to restore his strength, and with a mighty effort he pulls down the pillars and the temple, crushing himself and his foes.

"Finale"

[edit] Selected recordings

Year	Cast (Samson, Dalila, Grand-prétre de Dagon, Abimélech)	Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra	Label
1981	Plácido Domingo, Shirley Verrett, Wolfgang Brendel, Arnold Voketaitis	Julius Rudel, San Francisco Opera orchestra and chorus	DVD: Kultur Video Cat: 032031 00109 1
1998	Plácido Domingo, Olga Borodina, Sergei Leiferkus, Richard Paul Fink	James Levine, Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus	DVD: Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 00440 073 0599

Note: "Cat:" is short for catalogue number by the label company; "ASIN" is amazon.com product reference number.