TrumpetMaster - View Single Post

ChaseFan · 03-29-2008, 12:03 AM

I have just returned from seeing "Samson and Delilah".

After buying tickets but before seeing the show I did some research that warned me that it might not be the best opera to see as one's first opera, mostly because many people do not even consider it an opera.

The music:
Nice, but no songs that you remember well enough to leave the hall humming it.
The 1981 movie "Diva" has a song from "La Wally" that I have been humming for over 25 years, but no such memorable songs from "Samson and Delilah".
I did like a repetitive music from the beginning of scene #2 which sounded somewhat like a waterfall. (After the show I finally realized that it also reminded me of the sound effect that Wayne and Garth do in introducing a dream sequence in "Wayne's World)
And there was a very nice Middle Eastern flavor to what is apparently the opera's most famous number from Act 3.

Performers:
Orchestra of approximately 60.
Choir of approximately 100.
Up-front singers of approximately 7.
All performed well.
I was suprised that there were 6 bass fiddles, but that many did add a nice richness to the sound.
The harp sounded beautiful, especially in Act 2.
The trumpets did not have much to do until Act #3.

The scenery and costumes and action:
None, none, and none.
Which apparently is why it is not necessarily considered an opera.
All of the male singers wore tuxedos.
Denyce Graves as Delilah wore 3 different evening gowns.
There was not a trace of scenery on stage, just the singers up front, the orchestra behind them, and then the choir at the back.
Even the acting was kept to a minimum, with the singers occasionally staring at each other, with a hug and kiss in Act #2.
Although I know the story very well, because of the lack of action on stage I would have been completely unable to follow the on-stage story without the translation that was offered on the over-head screen. Even the pushing down of the columns in the final scene was vaguely implied rather than acted out.
I take one thing back: I said that there was not a trace of scenery on stage, but Denyce Graves was wearing very low-cut evening gowns so there *was* some prominent scenery on the stage

I think "Samson and Delilah" was probably perfromed exactly as intended, and the performers did it very well.
But it was definitely not the opera that a person should see as one's first opera because of its lack of costumes, lack of scenery, lack of action, lack of memorable or recognizable songs.

I would rather listen to the classical number that Doc Severinsen did as an intro to the song "Love Story",
the 5 or so classical numbers used throughout the movie "2001",
the 2 classical numbers used in the movie "Love Story",
the music from "La Wally" used in the 1981 movie "Diva".
or any of the 20 numbers from my "Best of Classical" cassette.

ChaseFan

03-29-2008, 12:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
ChaseFan Pianissimo User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 53	"Samson and Delilah" I have just returned from seeing "Samson and Delilah". After buying tickets but before seeing the show I did some research that warned me that it might not be the best opera to see as one's first opera, mostly because many people do not even consider it an opera. The music: Nice, but no songs that you remember well enough to leave the hall humming it. The 1981 movie "Diva" has a song from "La Wally" that I have been humming for over 25 years, but no such memorable songs from "Samson and Delilah". I did like a repetitive music from the beginning of scene #2 which sounded somewhat like a waterfall. (After the show I finally realized that it also reminded me of the sound effect that Wayne and Garth do in introducing a dream sequence in "Wayne's World) And there was a very nice Middle Eastern flavor to what is apparently the opera's most famous number from Act 3. Performers: Orchestra of approximately 60. Choir of approximately 100. Up-front singers of approximately 7. All performed well. I was suprised that there were 6 bass fiddles, but that many did add a nice richness to the sound. The harp sounded beautiful, especially in Act 2. The trumpets did not have much to do until Act #3. The scenery and costumes and action: None, none, and none. Which apparently is why it is not necessarily considered an opera. All of the male singers wore tuxedos. Denyce Graves as Delilah wore 3 different evening gowns. There was not a trace of scenery on stage, just the singers up front, the orchestra behind them, and then the choir at the back. Even the acting was kept to a minimum, with the singers occasionally staring at each other, with a hug and kiss in Act #2. Although I know the story very well, because of the lack of action on stage I would have been completely unable to follow the on-stage story without the translation that was offered on the over-head screen. Even the pushing down of the columns in the final scene was vaguely implied rather than acted out. I take one thing back: I said that there was not a trace of scenery on stage, but Denyce Graves was wearing very low-cut evening gowns so there was some prominent scenery on the stage I think "Samson and Delilah" was probably perfromed exactly as intended, and the performers did it very well. But it was definitely not the opera that a person should see as one's first opera because of its lack of costumes, lack of scenery, lack of action, lack of memorable or recognizable songs. I would rather listen to the classical number that Doc Severinsen did as an intro to the song "Love Story", the 5 or so classical numbers used throughout the movie "2001", the 2 classical numbers used in the movie "Love Story", the music from "La Wally" used in the 1981 movie "Diva". or any of the 20 numbers from my "Best of Classical" cassette. ChaseFan Last edited by ChaseFan; 03-29-2008 at 12:23 AM.