Classic Opera Dalila Captures the Heart of Samson

On November 1^st, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to see the opera, "Samson and Dalila" (Dalila is the French spelling of Delilah), by the French composer Charles Camille Saint-Saens. Although it is a very well known biblical story, it is not a commonly performed opera, due to the difficulty of the singing part of Dalila. Only about forty people in the country have ever performed it. The production in Memphis was originally going to star a soprano by the name of Laurice Lanier, but three weeks before the opening, it was made obvious that she was not prepared for the part. So they had to search high and low to find a new Dalila. They ended up with the well known Luretta Bybee, who had performed this opera in the mid-nineties. If they had not found her, it is not likely that this performance in Memphis would have taken place.

The opera itself is divided into three different acts, the first beginning in a square in Gaza. A large group of Hebrew people are imploring God to release them from the hands of the Philistines. Samson enters the scene and attempts to rally his people together to rise against their oppressors. As he is doing this, a Philistine commander attacks Samson and attempts to kill him. But Samson, with the strength gifted to him by God, easily fights off the man and stabs him with his own sword. After things have settled down, Samson and an elder Hebrew man are talking when the high priestess Dalila and her attendants arrive, rejoicing in the coming of Spring. She reflects on her past relationship with Samson, and invites him to come to her tent near Gaza. The elderly Hebrew warns Samson against this, but Samson is entranced by the seductive Dalila.

After a brief intermission, Act two began with Dalila in her tent, praying to her gods to help her seduce Samson into giving her the secret of his great strength. A storm begins brewing, an atmospheric sign from God. As she is praying, the high priest comes to Dalila, and warns her of his strength and his triumphs over the Philistines. At this, Dalila reveals her plan of betrayal, and accepts no reward. She proclaims that his reluctance to reveal his secret to her drives her to destroy him. After this, the priest leaves and Dalila is left to worry whether her wiles have been enough to draw him to her. But as she is expressing this, he arrives. He is obviously ashamed, and struggles against his desires. She presses him to tell her his secret, and when he refuses, she begins to cry. This breaks Samson down, and he weakly follows her into her tent. Moments later, after cutting off his hair, she calls for the guards, who gouge out Samson's eyes.

After a final intermission, Act three commences, with a blind Samson imprisoned, praying to God to not punish his people for his weakness. He is then taken to the temple of Dagon, where the Philistines celebrate their triumph over the Hebrews. Dalila and the priest both take turns taunting the powerless Samson, and challenge him to have his God restore his sight. Samson prays to God, but instead prays for the momentary return of his strength. He has himself positioned between two of the temple columns, and as the Philistines are dancing and drinking away, he pushed the pillars down, crushing everyone inside of the temple.

This was my second opera, and the first one that I have seen at the Orpheum, our local opera house. It is a beautiful place, filled with history and the kind of charm that you don't see in buildings built these days. The music, some of which I played in high school, was beautifully performed and the acting and singing of the performers was, to say the least, breathtaking. This is an experience I will not soon forget.