ChaseFan

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

ChaseFan

Note:
Apparently this was the revised version of "Samson and Delilah", because at the end of the opera Tom Jones did not sing "Forgive me, Delilah, I just couldn't take anymore!"

[As the cartoon rooster Foghorn Leghorn used to say, "That's a joke, Son"]

siarr

We did "Sampson" last season with the Florida Grand Opera with full scenery, costumes and staging. The orchestra was in the pit, as in most operas. You witnessed what we call a "stage" version of the work.

You're right that this opera (some consider it more of an oratorio) is not bursting with memorable tunes, the way Puccini or Verdi do. However, Saint-Saens was a master composer, and there is much wonderful writing in this opera. If you get a chance, get a copy of the score (vocal or full) and a good recording and spend a pleasant afternoon following along. Some libraries in large metro areas have musical scores. They also have CDs and/or DVDs of the major operas. If they don't have scores, you can follow the libretto, usually included with recordings. Before you go to your next opera, put in some time studying the piece, getting yourself familiar with it. Google it and read the background stuff, the composer, etc. Then, when you go to the performance, your enjoyment will be greatly enhanced by your knowledge and you will see and hear things you might have missed. Happy listening!

Best,
Chas Reskin
Editions Bim and The Brass Press, International Music Publishing

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ChaseFan

I am curious about the name of one instrument.
It might have been in the 3rd Act that we sometimes heard what sounded like a horse's hoofbeats.
I finally realized which musician was doing it, but his instrument was hidden behind his music stand.
Would it have been something similar to a pair of coconut half-shells that are clapped on a flat desk top?
Was it intended to be a horse's hoofbeats?

ChaseFan

robertwhite

I'm guessing castanets. In the orchestra, they're usually played "tapped" on a board instead of the traditional way you'd see a Senorita play them. They're pretty loud when played this way, too.

The famous "Bacchanale", where you probably noticed them, is a pops concert staple. As you might guess, it's less about horses than about debauchery!

siarr

Robertwhite is right. The castanets in the famous bacchanale are not representing horses' hooves; they're just there to add some "exotic" percussion sound to the "wild and wicked" dance. Since neither Saint-Saens nor you nor I were there during biblical times, we can allow Mr. S-S the liberty of adding his own coloristic sound effects to his fantasy. However, you can hear some amusing animal imtitations in one of his other pieces, "Carnival of the Animals," scored for 2 pianos and orchestra. You'll hear donkeys, lions, and some other beasts, but, alas, no horses!

Cheers,
Chas

__________________
Yamaha "Chicago" C
Bach "Chicago" C
Bach Bb 43/RL25
Andreas Eastman Bb 520S
Scherzer 8111 Picc
Schilke E3L Eb/D
Yamaha YFH631 flugelhorn

highbrass

Our local opera company performed "Samson and Delilah" last year, and the only piece I was familiar with (besides the ever-popular Bacchanale) going into seeing the performance was Delilah's aria "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix" (which is a famous mezzo soprano aria), but only because I played French horn in a chorus/orchestra job which featured opera arias and choruses. I'm not sure if this is the "waterfall" music that you referred to but it is indeed a very beautiful aria. Here are some examples from YouTube:

Jessye Norman - Samson and Delilah
1994 concert performance at Avery Fisher Hall, Orchestra of St. Luke's


Placido Domingo Olga Borodina 'Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix'
2002 La Scala production (the beginning is cut off, unfortunately)


Denyce Graves - Samson et Dalila
1992 concert performance with Placido Domingo, backed by the Orchestra of the Teatro Municipal de Rio de Janeiro


All three are different, but have that full-throated mezzo sound that I like (Denyce Graves having the lighter sound of all three).



Liz

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