Samson and Delilah

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Operas by Camille Saint-Saëns
Samson and Delilah (1877) Henry VIII (1883)
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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.

History

Samson and Delilah

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.

Ferdinand Lemaire, the librettist, was a French creole dilettante poet,^[1] born in Martinique, remembered most now as the librettist for this opera. He was related to the composer, having married a relative, and Saint-Saëns set two of Lemaire's poems, “Souvenance” and “Tristesse”, for voice and piano.^[2]

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 cœur s'ouvre a ta voix" ("My heart opens itself to your voice") is one of the most popular recital pieces in the mezzo-soprano repertoire. Two of Delilah's arias are particularly well known: "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" and "Printemps qui commence."

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.

Roles

Synopsis

Olga Borodina in San Francisco Opera, 2007

Place: Land of Israel.

Time: circa 1150 BC.

Act 1

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 (Dieu, d’Israël) leading to a fugue on the words ‘Nous avons vu nos cités renversées’ (We have seen our cities overthrown).

Samson steps forward and tries to revive the Israelites' morale and faith in God (Arrêtez, ô mes frères). The aria is set, at times, against the Chorus’ prayer. Abimelech, the Philistine governor, appears and taunts the Israelites, saying that they are helpless because their god has abandoned them (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 (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 2

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 (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 (Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix). Note: At the end of the second verse Samson joins in to make it a duet.

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 3

Scene 1: 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 2: In the Temple of Dagon.

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

Selected recordings

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

Notes