Sunday Classics: Some mighty angry Israelites and Philistines -- the opening scene of "Samson et Dalila," part 3

Here's a minute's worth of Samson's first solo (picking up at "Oui j'entends dans mon coeur une voix élevée" ("Yes, in my heart an elevated voice"), sung by Plácido Domingo.

by Ken

We've been working our way ever so gradually through the opening scene of Act I of Camille Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila, witness the transformation of the enslaved Hebrews from abject servility to . . . well, today we're going to see what exactly to.

When last we left our downtrodden Israelites, enslaved by the conquering Philistines ("Part 2: Let's hear how Samson rallies his people"; there's a listing of the complete series in the click-through), young Samson, after much exhorting, had rallied them from pathetic whining to a readiness to take action. As I ponted out at the time, it was clear from the very last music we heard then that something was about to happen. This week we meet that something,

There are just two short scenes remaining to complete the opening scene of Act I of Samson, each beginning with a rage-filled entrance. We're going to first sample three dramatic highlights, starting with the entrance of one angry Philistine satrap.

(1)
With Samson finally rousing the Hebrews to defiance,
Abimélech, the Philistine satrap of Gaza, storms in

Act I, Scene 2, Abimélech, "Qui donc élève ici la voix?"
("Who then raises his voice here?")

ABIMÉLECH: Who then raises his voice here?
Again this vile herd of slaves,
always daring to flout our laws
and wanting to break their shackles!
Hide your sighs and your tears,
which try our patience;
instead invoke the clemency
of those who were your conquerors!

Ezio Flagello (bs), Abimélech; Metropoolitan Opera Orchestra, Fausto Cleva, cond. RCA, recorded 1958

Simon Estes (bs-b), Abimélech; Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips, recorded February 1989

(2)
Samson's exhortations to his fellow Hebrews
reach their absolute maximum level of intensity

Act I, Scene 2, Samson, "Israël, romps ta chaîne!"
("Israel, break your chains!")

SAMSON: Israel, break your chains!
O people, rise up!
Come and slake your hatred!
The Lord is within me!
O thou, God of Light,
as in the days of yesteryear,
hear my prayer
and fight for thy laws!

José Luccioni (t), Samson; Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Louis Fourestier, cond. EMI, recorded September 1946

Mario del Monaco (t), Samson; Metropoolitan Opera Orchestra, Fausto Cleva, cond. RCA, recorded 1958

(3)
The uprisen Hebrews rout Abimélech, leaving his
body to be discovered by the High Priest of Dagon

Act I, Scene 3, High Priest, "Maudite à jamais soit la race des enfants d'Israël" ("Accursed be forever the race of the children of Israel!")

HIGH PRIEST: Accursed be forever the race
of the children of Israel!
I want to erase all trace of them,
to soak them in bile!
Accursed be the one who guides them!
I will crush underfoot
his broken bones, his parched throat,
without a shake of pity!

Paul Cabanel (b), High Priest of Dagon; Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Louis Fourestier, cond. EMI, recorded September 1946

Renato Bruson (b), High Priest of Dagon; Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Barenboim, cond. DG, recorded July 1978


TO HEAR THE WHOLE OF THIS REMAINDER
OF THE OPENING SCENE, CLICK HERE

UPDATE: OOPS, I MEANT TO INCLUDE A
LINK TO FRIDAY NIGHT'S PREVIEW POST

Usually it's automatic, since the post necessarily refers back to the preview. This week, however, the preview wasn't for this week's Sunday post but for some unspecified post, or rather posts, in the future. And I want to remind everyone that I offered what I might be prepared to defend as "the most beautiful recording ever made."

#