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Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was an amazingly well-rounded musician with opera composition being only minor part of a life of teaching, performing, conducting and theoretical writing. Synopsis: Samson et Dalila Select a language to update the synopsis text. Samson arrives to say farewell. Some 130 years after its premiere, it still creates the same murky magic and exudes a voluptuousness that the Holy Scriptures would certainly reproach! recorded by Enrico Caruso in 1916. https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Samson_and_Delilah_(opera)&oldid=7064745, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. She refuses to take the money. Dalila, the High Priest of Dagon and their people are annihilated. The very choice of the mezzo timbre for her depiction sets her aside from her old German and Italian oratorio counterparts like Judith, Esther or Mary Magdelene and communicates a certain eroticism that would only be at home on the opera stage. Musicologists and opera lovers have been involved in the ‘oratorio vs. opera’ argument since the work’s first public performances and the touches of the arcane in the structure of the above scenes certainly moves listeners in the former direction (parts of these scenes could even be considered taking the form of a tableau vivant). In der Tat hat diese nur eines im Sinn, Samson zu bestrafen, denn dieser hat ihr beim ersten Versuch widerstanden. Seine beste Waffe könnte eine Frau sein, die betörende Dalila, die sich bereit erklärt, Samson zu verführen. Omissions? (Although Jesus is often called ‘Nazarene’ in the New Testament, there is no root connection between ‘Nazarene’ and ‘Nazirite’). Although Samson et Dalila is unmistakably French in its atmosphere, melodic contour and sometimes exotic instrumentation, it often harks back to the oratorio world of Mendelssohn and Handel. Samson defies him. Genre. It was a failure.[1]. In a sequence of ideally merged scenes, religion and seduction add up to an irresistible alchemy. The High Priest of Dagon makes plans to use Delilah to trap Samson. Production photos: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera. As the satrap Abimélech spews his hatred at them, the valiant Samson kills him, then calls on his brothers, urging them to revolt. Some 130 years after its premiere, it still creates the same murky magic and exudes a voluptuousness that the Holy Scriptures would certainly reproach! The libretto concentrates on chapter 16 of Judges, ignoring the three instances of Samson’s attempt to throw Delilah off from understanding the source of his strength.Another more important difference exists in the two versions of the story: unlike the biblical Delilah our operatic character turns down the monetary rewards offered by the Philistines out of sheer patriotism and simply to prove the superiority of her seductive charms.This makes Delilah, along with her music, closer to the world of opera than to the world of oratorio. The Hebrews flee. Samson fights his desire for Delilah. Geschoren und geblendet wird Samson in den Kerker geworfen. His prayers are heard: taken to an orgiastic festival thrown by the Philistines, Samson suddenly regains his strength and brings down the pillars of the temple. Samson urges them to resist their masters. Zusammen mit Faust und Carmen zählt Samson und Dalila zu den beliebtesten Opern des französischen Repertoires. Additionally, Saint-Saëns was considered a "symphonist" rather than an opera composer. Liszt encouraged him to take up the project again. Camille Saint-Saëns. Please complete the form below. They capture Samson and blind him. Ein hebräischer Greis warnt Samson vor den zweifelhaften Reizen Dalilas. Sein Gebet wird erhört. $45.00 – $299.00 Runtime. Delilah vows to find the secret of Samson's strength. callback phone if different from your primary phone on record, and the best time to get back to you. He pulls down the pillars. Price Range. The music was written by Camille Saint-Saëns. He also thought it neglected French opera tradition. Chained to a millstone in a jail in Gaza, he prays to the God of Israel: his life in exchange for the release of his people. French. Delilah’s music is, in other words, ‘French’! In Sorek Delilah sings about her power over Samson. Betsy Schwarm is a music historian based in Colorado. It is, in fact, closely related to Carmen’s habanera and provides much the same dramatic purpose: the seduction of the leading man. Sofort wird er gefangengenommen und seine Haare geschoren, ausserdem wird er geblendet. Please also include a preferred Washington National Opera. ©2020 The Metropolitan Opera Close Modal Our website has been optimized for viewing in the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. You are a professional? In 1890 the opera was staged in Rouen at composer Gabriel Faure's urging. Its exotic and suggestive “ Bacchanale,” the opera’s best-known excerpt, is often performed in concerts as an instrumental arrangement. The vocal line at the climax of the aria (“Ah! The piece opens with a sensuous oboe solo before a steady pulse develops in the orchestra itself. Samson is chained to a mill-wheel in a dungeon. "Vois ma misère, hélas!" Subjugated and tyrannised by the Philistines, the Hebrews implore the God of Israel. Once the opera gained favor with audiences it quickly spread outside France. [1] The opera was well received. Samson follows. Saint-Saëns asked a relative, Ferdinand Lemaire, to write the libretto. In der Knechtschaft der Philister rufen die Hebräer zum Gott Israels. A lively and informative new podcast for kids that the whole family will enjoy! Ask for the credentials to edit or create your data. Samson and Delilah (Fr: Samson et Dalila) is a three-act French opera. As promised, Liszt personally arranged for production of the opera at Weimar in 1877 under the baton of Eduard Lassen who was to replace Liszt as the music director there. And behold Delilah, the Philistine temptress, who uses all her feminine allure to learn the secret of Samson’s might. He was convinced to set it as an opera thanks to his librettist, Ferdinand Lemaire (a distant relation), and he began the composition process with Dalila’s music in the second act. It was soon staged in America and in England. If at the beginning of Acts I and III Saint-Saëns harkens back to the style of Bach and Handel, every moment Delilah is onstage the score glows with a French sensibility. [1], In 1873 Saint-Saëns finished the score. "Symphonist" was a pejorative term at the time. High Priest of Dagon (baritone) is a Philistine who plots with Delilah the overthrow of Samson. The final act features the “Bacchanale,” a showpiece in which Delilah leads a wild and provocative dance to taunt Samson. In prison, begging forgiveness for his weakness, he prays for the liberation of his people. Thanks for your interest. The Bach and Mendelssohn models are certainly pieces of music that Saint-Saëns would have been familiar with through his extensive work in church music. Samson and Delilah (Fr: Samson et Dalila) is a three-act French opera.It is based on the story of Samson and Delilah in the Old Testament of the Bible.The words and story of the opera (the libretto) were written by Ferdinand Lemaire.The music was written by Camille Saint-Saëns.The opera was first performed in Weimar, Germany on 2 December 1877. Tax Exempt ID: 95-6044429. It was sung in German instead of French. Goodwin writes that Saint-Saëns's pupil and friend Gabriel Faure always said that the reason Samson and Delilah met with disinterest in France was the fact that the composer was viewed as a symphonist—not because the opera was based on a Biblical text. At a musical evening with friends a mezzo-soprano sang “Amour, viens aider!” and “Mon coeur s’ouvre á ta voix” with the composer at the piano. In a square in Gaza, the Hebrews pray for release from slavery to the Philistines. It was sung in German instead of French. They will suffer for his sin. The Hebrews are heard in the distance singing sorrowfully. Sie umgarnt ihn und er lässt sich in ihren Bann ziehen. She wants only revenge. It was sung in German instead of French.[1]. Two years later it was finally staged at the Paris Opéra. Die Heilige Schrift lieferte das Thema für diese Oper, und die Komposition basiert auf einem Prosatück von Ferdinand Lemaire, der sich darin mit einem Kapitel aus dem Buch der Richter auseinandersetzt. It was considered sacrilegious to stage a work based on a Bible story. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Samson prays for God's protection. Act 1 was performed "concert style" in 1875. Unterjocht und geknechtet von den Philistern, flehen die Hebräer den Gott Israels um Hilfe an. He meets the voluptuous Dalila, who is determined to seduce Samson, so that she can discover the secret of his strength – for the sole purpose of avenging her people. Composer. It is fluid, lush, romantic and brilliantly orchestrated with a touch of fantasy and worldly sensuality. But on a concert tour of Weimar he rekindled his old friendship with Franz Liszt, a great supporter of new music, who showed interest in Samson to the point of promising a Weimar production.

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