Sunday Classics preview: Risë Stevens (1913-2013)

Risë Stevens as Prince Orlofsky (who may be blasé about
most worldly matters, but not about his beloved champagne)

J. STRAUSS II: Die Fledermaus: Act II, Champagne Trio

Risë Stevens (ms), Prince Orlofsky; James Melton (t), Eisenstein; Patrice Munsel (s), Adele; Robert Shaw Chorale, RCA Victor Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, cond. RCA, recorded c1950

by Ken

No, Risë Stevens didn't make it to the 100 mark, but most of us would settle happily to make it into our 99th year.

She was a Met mainstay for more than 20 years, from 1938 through 1961, and sang a number of signature mezzo roles well enough that we've heard her a lot here in Sunday Classics -- as Bizet's Carmen, Saint-Saëns's Dalila, Gluck's Orfeo, Richard Strauss's Rosenkavalier ("Rose Knight") Octavian, and, yes, even Johann Strauss's Prince Orlofsky. As a result, although we'll be hearing some new material as well, much of what we'll be hearing in this week's remembrance will be a refresher for us.


SINCE WE'VE ALREADY HEARD STEVENS SINGING
WITH POPULAR MET TENOR JAMES MELTON . . .

. . . here's a tidbit I found which we haven't heard, Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin's "Long Ago (and Far Away)," written for the 1944 film Cover Girl. It's apparently from a broadcast from the year the film was released.

Read more »

Sunday Classics: Among our team of operatic avengers, which does Saint-Saëns's Dalila resemble most?

Shirley Verrett sings Dalila's Act II aria "Amour! Viens aider ma faiblesse" with Julius Rudel conducting in San Francisco, 1981. If the staging at the opening makes you wonder whether the stage director ever listened to the music (forget reading the libretto), we're on the same page.

Samson, seeking my presence again,
this evening is to come to this place.
Here is the hour of vengeance,
which must satisfy our gods.

Love! come aid my weakness!
Pour the poison in his breast!
Make it happen that, conquered by my artfulness,
Samson is in fetters tomorrow!
In vain would he wish to be able
to chase me out of his soul, to banish me.
Could he extinguish the flame
that memory feeds?
He is mine! my slave!
My brothers fear his wrath;
I, along among all, I defy him
and hold him at my knees!

Love! come aid my weakness!
Pour the poison in his breast!
Make it happen that, conquered by my artfulness,
Samson is in fetters tomorrow!
Against strength is useless,
and he, the strong among the strong,
he, who broke his people's chains,
will succumb to my efforts.

by Ken

Okay, here's where we are. Last week, in both the preview ("In which we hear a lady weighted by a heap of hurt") and the main post ("Meet Saint-Saëns's Dalila"), we heard the seductive side of Dalila -- and also the side, whatever you want to call it (I called it deep hurt) displayed in the great solo she sings when she's finally alone at the start of Act II. Then in Friday night's preview we heard her in "vengeance" mode, swearing along with the High Priest of Dagon, to bring Samson down -- and I also introduced several other operatic vengeance-seekers: Mozart's Queen of the Night, Beethoven's prison governor Don Pizarro, and the heroine of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde.

I certainly didn't mean to suggest any equivalence among our team of avengers. I wanted to lay the groundwork, because the text of Samson et Dalila doesn't give us much factual background to work with, for the best case I can make that Dalila's closest kin here is Isolde.

First we're going to hear from an actual monster, Don Pizarro in Fidelio, who has been forced into the decision to put an end to the suffering he has been inflicting on his old nemesis, Don Florestan, in a secret dungeon (where, you'll recall, we heard him languishing last month. Then, in the click-through, we'll hear from the Queen of the Night and Isolde, and finally we'll come back to Dalila.

(Note that I've juggled the lineup of recordings somewhat from the samples we heard in Friday night's preview. I wrote a bunch of long-winded explanations and exegeses, and then threw them out. We can talk about some of those issues some other time. Maybe. And note too that inclusion of a recording here doesn't necessarily constitute endorsement. There are some I'm not crazy about but have included for particular reasons.)

BEETHOVEN: Fidelio, Op. 72: Act I, Don Pizarro, "Ha! Welch ein Augenblick" ("Ha! What a moment!")

Ha! What a moment!
My vengeance I will cool;
your fate is calling you!
In its heart dwell,
oh live, good luck!
Already I was nearly in the dust,
by the loud scorn robbed,
there to be stretched.
Now it is up to me,
to commit the murder myself.
In his last hour,
the steel in his wound,
to cry in his ear:
Triumph! Victory is mine!

-- translation by Katharina Fink

Zoltán Kélémen (b), Don Pizarro; Chorus of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, cond. EMI, recorded 1970

Ekkehard Wlaschiha (b), Don Pizarro; Dresden State Opera Chorus, Staatskapelle Dresden, Bernard Haitink, cond. Philips, recorded November 1989

Walter Berry (bs-b), Don Pizarro; Vienna State Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein, cond. Live performance, June 9 or 14, 1970

Hans Hotter (b), Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Otto Klemperer, cond. Testament, recorded live, Feb. 24, 1961


TO HEAR FROM THE REST OF OUR
TEAM OF AVENGERS, CLICK HERE

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Sunday Classics preview: Revenge!

THREE SNIPPETS OF REVENGE
(EACH PERFORMED THREE TIMES)

(1)

Hell's revenge seethes in my heart!
Death and despair burn all around me.

(2)

Ha Ha! Ha, what a moment!
I will have my revenge!
Your fate calls you!
In his heart roots --
o wonder! -- great fortune.

(3)

HER: But what once with hand
and mouth I swore --
that I swore silently to keep.
HIM: What did you swear, lady?
HER: Revenge for Morold!

by Ken

Yes, we're still getting to know Saint-Saëns's Dalila, and indeed in just a moment we're going to hear a side of her wildly different from anything we heard in last week's preview or the Sunday main post. By way of preparation, I thought this brief digression on operatic avengers would be helpful.

They'll be familiar to most music-lovers, but we'll hear them again, properly identified (including the performers)), in the click-through.


TO PROCEED WITH TONIGHT'S SPECIAL "REVENGE"
EDITION OF SUNDAY CLASSICS, CLICK HERE

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Sunday Classics: Meet Saint-Saëns's Dalila

Including a recording that Maria Callas refused
to allow to be released (don't ask me why!)


Just 'cause we slipped into Act II of Samson et Dalila in Friday night's preview is no reason to go crazy and think we're going to make it to Act III today, but here's the famous "Bacchanale," from the Met's 1983 Centennial Gala, conducted by James Levine.

by Ken

Friday night we heard Maria Callas's riveting 1961 recording of Dalila's Act II-opening "Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse!," one of three excerpts from Samson et Dalila she recorded for the first Callas in Paris LP. Only two of those excerpts -- "Amour! viens aider" and the Act I solo "Printemps qui commence" -- found their way onto the record, though. Callas refused to allow the recording of the opera's best-known number (maybe along with the "Bacchanale") to be released, and in fact it wasn't in her lifetime, not slipping into print until 1982, five years after she died.

Our goal today is going to be to get (finally!) to the end of Act I of Samson. But we're going to digress again into Act II to hear what has become one of Callas's best-known recordings, the amping up of Dalila's seduction of Samson.

SAINT-SAËNS: Samson et Dalila: Act II, Dalila, "Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix" ("My heart opens at your voice")

My heart opens at your voice like the flowers open
at the kisses of dawn!
But, o my beloved, to better dry my tears,
let your voice speak again!
Tell me that you return to Dalila forever!
Say again to my tenderness
those promises of before, those promises that I loved!
Ah! answer, answer my tenderness!
Fill me, fill me with delight!
Answer my tenderness, etc.

As one sees ears of corn undulating
under a light breeze,
just so my heart flutters,
ready to take comfort
from your voice, which is dear to me!
An arrow is less swift in carrying death
than is your lover to fly into your arms,
to fly into your arms!
Ah! answer etc.

Maria Callas (s), Dalila; Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1961


IN THE INTEREST OF MAKING OUR WAY TO
THE END OF ACT I, LET'S TAKE ONE SMALL STEP

When we left off in April, the High Priest of Dagon had just discovered the body of Abimélech, the satrap of Gaza, "struck down by slaves," meaning the Israelite rabble newly roused by their young rabble-rouser Samson. He storms off, vowing to make those uppity Hebrews pay. We'll hear the end of that again in the click-through, but for now let's listen to the very next thing that happens: this ravishing orchestral daybreak.

SAINT-SAËNS: Samson et Dalila: Act I, Daybreak

Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Sept.-Oct. 1962


TO FORGE AHEAD IN ACT I OF SAMSON, CLICK HERE

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Sunday Classics preview: In which we hear a lady weighted by a heap of hurt

Yes, in the click-through we're going to hear Callas,
in what I think of as one of her great recordings.

by Ken

I'm not being intentionally mysterious . . . okay, I guess I am, but not gratuitously mysterious. The lady whose musical acquaintance we're about to make isn't normally thought of as a victim, but we're going to hear her in a condition of pain that -- in a good performance -- I find almost palpable. (It shouldn't be any surprise that we're setting up for a performance by Maria Callas. She was especially good at rooting out characters' pain.)

I just thought it would be interesting to hear how the lady's composer sets up this outpouring. So we're going to hear this musical introduction, and then in the click-through we'll go straight into


Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips, recorded February 1989


TO MAKE OUR HURTING ACQUAINTANCE, CLICK HERE

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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."

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Sunday Classics: Let's hear how Samson rallies his people (The opening scene of Saint-Saëns' "Samson et Dalila," part 2)

The opening of Samson at the Met -- James Levine conducting, September 1998

by Ken

We began the preview to Part 1 of our look at the opening scene of Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila with some appreciation of the haunting orchestral opening, and by the time we finished with the main post ("Introducing Saint-Saëns' Samson, the second-angriest man in opera") we'd heard a pile-up of performances of Samson's arresting first solo, "Arrêtetz. ô mes frères," and the second, "L'as-tu donc oublié." I warned at the time that when we resumed, we wouldn't get any further into the scene. Then in last night's preview, ""How we get to Samson's heroic first utterance," we began plugging the gaps, in preparation for today's more systematic listen to just this much of the scene.

Today's plan isn't fancy. The CD issue of the 1962 EMI recording of Samson, with Jon Vickers and Rita Gorr, conducted by Georges Prêtre, tracks the opening scene, in which Samson sets about rallying his troops, such as they are, into five parts, and we're going to listen to them separately, and along the way listen to additional performances of some bits of it. Finally we'll hear two quite different but complementary performances of our entire play unit.


TO HEAR SAMSON RALLY THE HEBREWS FROM DESPAIR
TO A READINESS TO SPRING INTO ACTION, CLICK HERE

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Sunday Classics preview: How we get to Samson's heroic first utterance (The opening scene of Saint-Saëns' "Samson et Dalila," part 2)

In this piano-accompanied 1906 Fonotipia recording, the great tenor Léon Escalais makes quite a sound as he sings something resembling Samson's opening solo, "Arrêtez, ô mes frères." (Um, no, that silly "Look, Maman, I sing high" ending isn't the composer's.) Note that we have French and English texts below.

by Ken

I keep wanting to refer to Samson's "Arrêtez, ô mes frères" as his "entrance" solo, but the text is explicit that he's already onstage among his fellow Hebrews during the preceding choruses. Could there be such a thing as an "emergence [as opposed to "entrance"] number"? We heard quite a lot of this solo in the first part of our investigation of this opening scene of Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila ("Introducing Saint-Saëns' Samson, the second-angriest man in opera"). But in Part 1 we left a significant gap between what we heard of those opening choruses and Samson's emergence. We also left a gap between "Arrêtez" and Samson's next solo, "L'as-tu donc oublié." This week we're going to be plugging those gaps, and the larger first one we're actually going to plug tonight!

I thought we'd start this preview by hearing "Arrêtez" again, but in a bit of context: including a bit of the portion of choral whining from Samson's fellow Hebrews, which is to say what finally prompts Samson to open his mouth. So here it is from a small assortment of tenors, some of whom we've heard, and one of whom we haven't.

SAINT-SAËNS: Samson et Dalila: Act I, Chorus of Hebrews, "Dieu! As-tu rompu cette sainte alliance?" ("God! Have you broken that sacred alliance?") . . . Samson, "Arrêtez, ô mes frères!" ("Stop, o my brothers!")

THE HEBREWS: God!
Have you broken that holy alliance,
divine promises received by our forefathers?
SAMSON:

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

Ludovic Spiess (t), Samson; Romanian Radio and Television Chorus and Orchestra (Bucharest), Kurt Adler, cond. Electrecord, recorded May-June 1969

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

Jon Vickers (t), Samson; Choeurs René Duclos, Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Sept. 25-Oct. 10, 1962

REMINDER: In Part 1, I included the vocal score pages for Samson's "Arrêtez," so listeners can see how the music is shaped if you wish -- something that might have been beneficial to M. Escalier (or maybe not; he seems to have preferred his rewrite of the rhythmic structure).


TO PIN DOWN HOW WE GET TO THE POINT
OF SAMSON'S FIRST UTTERANCE, CLICK HERE

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Sunday Classics: Introducing Saint-Saëns' Samson, the second-angriest man in opera

Tenor José Cura as Samson in Karlsruhe, 2010. We're going to hear him later (perhaps not all that happily). For now, let's recall from Friday night's preview how Saint-Saëns' opera begins.

CHORUS OF HEBREWS [behind the curtain]: God!
God of Israel! Hear the prayer
of your children, imploring you on our knees;
take pity on your people and our misery!
Let our sorrow disarm your wrath!

Bavarian Radio Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis, cond. Philips, recorded February 1989

by Ken

In Friday night's preview we started poking at Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila, specifically the opening scene. We heard the very opening of the opera and then jumped a bit to the exhortation from Samson which finally gets through to his ceaselessly whining oppressed fellow Hebrews. I noted then that we were skipping over important material but provided assurance that we would fill the gap today. Well, sort of. We're going to plug the single most important piece of that gap: Samson's first exhortation to his fellow Hebrews.

We've already met the Angriest Man in Opera, Rossini's William Tell (in an October 2009 series of posts culminating in "So why is this fellow William Tell so angry anyways?"), whose zero tolerance level for the oppressive Austrian occupation of Switzerland poisons any pleasure he might derive from his undeniably pleasant physical surroundings and his lovely family. This week we're encountering the runner-up. Here's the opening of Act I, the dawn of a beautiful day on a Swiss riverbank.

ROSSINI: William Tell: Act I, Opening chorus and quartet

CHORUS: What a serene day the sky portends!
Let us celebrate in our concerts;
let the echoes from this riverbank
raise our songs into the air!
By our labors we render homage
to the creator of the universe.
What a serene day, etc.

Quartet
FISHERMAN: Step into my little boat,
o maiden shy,
pray come, and bring contentment
to my tender heart.
I leave the riverbank,
Lisbeth, or rather on the way;
Ah, come, the sky without cloud
promises us a beautiful day.
WILLIAM TELL: He sings in his giddiness
of his pleasures, of his mistress;
by the trouble that oppresses me
he isn't tormented.
What a joke is life!
For us no more fatherland!
He sings, and Switzerland
weeps, weeps for its freedom.
JEMMY and HEDWIGE TELL: His imprudent courage
cries out for a shipwreck
and defying the storm
he thinks only of the return.

Charles Burles (t), Fisherman; Gabriel Bacquier (b), William Tell; Mady Mespé (s), Jemmy Tell; Jocelyne Taillon (ms), Hedwige Tell; Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Lamberto Gardelli, cond. EMI, recorded July-Sept. 1972

Samson is burning inside as feverishly as Tell, but he faces a very different situation. Tell's placid Swiss countrymen are able to ignore the Austrian oppression because, well, life is good, comfort-wise. Samson's fellow Hebrews are only too aware of their misery, and bemoan it endlessly, but seem unable to do anything about it. Which is the point where he steps forward, as we'll hear in the click-through.


TO HEAR SAMSON'S FIRST OUTBURST, AND SOME
OTHER GREAT TENOR EXHORTATIONS, CLICK HERE

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[6/24/2012] Among our team of operatic avengers, which does Saint-Saëns's Dalila resemble most? (continued)

ISOLDE: Curse you, vile creature,
a curse upon your head!
Vengeance! Death! Death for us both!

This lady sounds seriously peeved. That's (1) Birgit Nilsson, (2) Margaret Price, and (3) Kirsten Flagstad -- the climax of the performances of Isolde's Act I narrative we hear below.


Note the wrinkle in Isolde's vengeance plan: What she has in mind is "death for us both." And she's, um, dead serious. It's not her fault that the plan hits a snag. Now let's proceed with our gallery of avengers.

MOZART'S QUEEN OF THE NIGHT

MOZART: The Magic Flute, K. 620: Act II, Queen of the Night, "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" ("Hell's revenge seethes in my heart")"

Hell's revenge seethes in my heart,
Death and despair burn about me!
If Sarastro does not through you feel the pain of death,
then you will be my daughter nevermore.
Disowned may you be forever, abandoned may you be forever,
destroyed be forever by all the bonds of nature,
if Sarastro is not through you made pale.
Hear, hear, hear, gods of revenge,
hear a mother's oath!

Edda Moser (s), Queen of the Night; Bavarian State Opera Orchestra, Wolfgang Sawallisch, cond. EMI, recorded August 1972

Lucia Popp (s), Queen of the Night; Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1964

Wilma Lipp (s), Queen of the Night; Vienna Philharmonic, Wilhelm Furtwängler, cond. Live performance from the Salzburg Festival, July 27, 1949

[in English, sort of] Roberta Peters (s), Queen of the Night; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Bruno Walter, cond. Live performance, Mar. 3, 1956

WAGNER'S ISOLDE

I feel bad about just plunging us into this great narrative, in which Isolde, on board the ship on which Tristan is transporting her from her native Ireland to Cornwall to marry his uncle, King Marke, fills her trusted sidekick Brangäne in on her history with Tristan. I was going to edit out just the hair-raising curse to which the narrative builds, but that would have defeated the point. While Isolde is indeed extremely angry (to put it mildly) in the early scenes of Act I in which we meet her, at least as angry as the Queen of the Night (who, by the way, also has her reasons for being so wrathful), in this remarkable scene Wagner nevertheless provides a delicately nuanced presentation of her deep anguish.

WAGNER: Tristan und Isolde: Act I, Isolde's Narrative, "Wie lachend sie mir Lieder singen" ("As they laugh and sing their songs at me")

ISOLDE: As they laugh and sing their songs at me,
I well could answer too: how a boat,
small and frail, came to Ireland's coasts,
and in it lay a sick and stricken man, near to death.
Isolde's art was made known to him;
with healing salves and soothing draughts
she faithfully tended the wound that tormented him.
"Tantris," which with studied guile he called himself,
Isolde soon recognized as Tristan,
for into the sick man's sword, in which there was a notch,
there fitted exactly a splinter that her skilled hand
had first found in the head of the Irish knight
sent home to her in scorn.
A cry arose from my inmost being!
With the gleaming sword I stood before him to avenge
Sir Morold's death on him, this overweening knight.
From his couch he looked up,
not at the word, not at my hand,
but looked into my eyes.
With the gleaming sword I stood before him,
to avenge Sir Morold's death
on him, this overweening knight.
From his couch he looked up,
not at the sword, not at my hand,
but looked into my eyes.
His anguish touched my heart.
The sword -- I let fall!
The wound inflicted by Morold
I healed, so that in health
he could travel homeward
and trouble me no more with his gaze!
BRANGÄNE: O wonder! Where were my eyes?
The guest whom once I helped to tend?
ISOLDE: You heard him praised just now:
"Hail! Our lord Tristan!"
This was that wretched man!
With a thousand oaths he swore
to me eternal thanks and fidelity!
Now hear how a hero keeps his oath!
He whom as Tantris I released unexposed,
as Tristan he now boldly returns;
on a proud ship with a high prow
he requests Ireland's heiress as bride
for Cornwall's weary king, for Marke, his uncle.
Had Morold lived, who would have dared
to offer such an affront?
For our vassals the Cornish princes
to seek Ireland's crown!
Ah, woe is me! It was I
who in secret brought this shame upon myself!
Instead of wielding the avenging sword,
I let it fall harmlessly!
Now I must serve our vassal!
BRANGÄNE: When peace, reconciliation and amity
were sworn by all, we hailed the happy day.
How could I have foreseen
that it would cause you such grief?
ISOLDE: Oh blind eyes! Credulous heart!
Despairing silence, feeble courage!
How differently Tristan paraded
what I had kept concealed!
She who in silence gave him his life,
from the enemy's fury quietly hid him,
who silently lent her sanctuary to save him,
both her and all that he abandoned!
Boasting of victory, glorious and bold,
loud and clear he pointed to me:
"There's a treasure, my lord and uncle;
how about that for a wife?
This trim Irish girl I'll bring back to you;
knowing well the way,
with a wave I was off to Ireland;
Isolde -- she's yours!
What a splendid bit of adventure!"
Curse you, vile creature,
a curse upon your head!
Vengeance! Death! Death for us both!
BRANGÄNE [impetuously and tenderly embracing Isolde]:
O sweet one, beloved! Dearest! Beautiful one!
Golden mistress! Dear Isolde!
[She gradually draws Isolde to the couch.]
Listen to me! Come! Sit here!

Birgit Nilsson (s), Isolde; Christa Ludwig (ms), Brangäne; Bayreuth Festival Chorus and Orchestra, Karl Böhm, cond. DG/Philips, recorded live, 1966

Margaret Price (s), Isolde; Brigitte Fassbaender (ms), Brangäne; Staatskapelle Dresden, Carlos Kleiber, cond. DG, recorded 1980-82

Kirsten Flagstad (s), Isolde; Sabine Kalter (ms), Brangäne; London Philharmonic Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, cond. Recorded live at Covent Garden, May-June 1936

FINALLY, LET'S COME BACK TO DALILA

The Wikipedia article on Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila says of the libretto, "Delilah is portrayed as a manipulative, conniving, ruthless woman bent on revenge." This is true, I guess, especially if one is speaking specifically of the libretto. But especially if we incorporate the music, and listen to the great monologue that opens Act II, the one time we see the character by herself, and thus presumably totally truthful, while it's certainly true that she's "bent on revenge," what I hear goes way beyond manipulativeness, connivingness, and ruthlessness.

To begin with we're going to listen again to the recording of the recitative and aria by Maria Callas, which we heard originally along with performances by Christa Ludwig and Marjana Lipovšek. Then in recordings that include the atmospheric Act II Prelude, we'll hear another round of Dalilas, all but one of whom (Waltraud Meier) we've heard before in other excerpts.

SAINT-SAËNS: Samson et Dalila, Op. 47: Act II: Prelude: Dalila, "Samson, recherchant ma présence" . . . "Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse!"

The stage represents the valley of Sorek in Palestine. At left, the dwelling of DALILA, fronted by a light portico and surrounded by Asiatic plants and luxuriant vines. Night is beginning, and becomes complete through the course of the act.

Prelude

At curtain rise, DALILA is seated on a rock near the portico of her house, seeming lost in reverie.

DALILA: Samson, seeking my presence again,
this evening is to come to this place.
Here is the hour of vengeance,
which must satisfy our gods.

Love! come aid my weakness!
Pour the poison in his breast!
Make it happen that, conquered by my artfulness,
Samson is in fetters tomorrow!
In vain would he wish to be able
to chase me out of his soul, to banish me.
Could he extinguish the flame
that memory feeds?
He is mine! my slave!
My brothers fear his wrath;
I, along among all, I defy him
and hold him at my knees!

Love! come aid my weakness!
Pour the poison in his breast!
Make it happen that, conquered by my artfulness,
Samson is in fetters tomorrow!
Against strength is useless,
and he, the strong among the strong,
he, who broke his people's chains,
will succumb to my efforts.

Recitative and aria only:

Maria Callas (s), Dalila; Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1961
Including the prelude:

Risë Stevens (ms), Dalila; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Fausto Cleva, cond. Live performance, Apr. 12, 1958

Elena Obraztsova (ms), Dalila; Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Barenboim, cond. DG, recorded July 1978

Waltraud Meier (ms), Dalila; Orchestra of Opéra-Bastille, Myung-Whun Chung, cond. EMI, recorded July 1-11, 1991

THE SAMSON ET DALILA SERIES

1. SAMSON

Part 1: Introducing Saint-Saëns' Samson, the second-angriest man in opera [3/11/2012]
Chorus and quartet from Act I of Rossini's William Tell
"Arrêtez, ô mes frères" sung by José Luccioni, Mario del Monaco, Plácido Domingo, José Cura, and Jon Vickers
Preview: These two Mystery Openings introduce works that I for one can't wait to hear more of [3/9/2012]
Samson excerpts sung by Georges Thill, Mario del Monaco, Plácido Domingo, Ramón Vinay, and Jon Vickers; plus excerpts from Ponchielli's La Gioconda and Verdi's Otello

Part 2: Let's hear how Samson rallies his people [3/25/2012]
Performances by Jon Vickers, Carlo Cossutta, et al., conducted by Georges Prêtre, Sylvain Cambreling, et al.
Preview: How we get to Samson's heroic first utterance [3/24/2012]
Performances of the opening conducted by Daniel Barenboim and Colin Davis; "Arrêtez, ô mes frères" sung by José Luccioni, Ludovic Spiess, Mario del Monaco

Part 3: Some mighty angry Israelites and Philistines -- the opening scene of Samson et Dalila, part 3 [4/29/2012]
The Abimélech and High Priest scenes, with Ezio Flagello, Simon Estes, Alexander Malta, and Yves Bisson (Abimélech); Paul Cabanel, Renato Bruson, Ezio Pinza, Robet Merrill, and Ernest Blanc (High Priest); Plácido Domingo, José Luccioni, Mario del Monaco, René Maison, Jon Vickers, James King, and Carlo Cossutta (Samson). The complete opening scene conducted by Louis Fourestier (1946, with Luccioni, Charles Cambon, Cabanel) and Georges Prêtre (1962, with Vickers, Anton Diakov, Blanc)

2. DALILA

Meet Saint-Saëns's Dalila [6/17/2012]
Second half of Act I with Louise Homer, Marjana Lipovšek, Elena Obraztsova, Risë Stevens, Maria Callas, Christa Ludwig, and Rita Gorr as Dalila; Enrico Caruso, Plácido Domingo, Mario del Monaco, and Jon Vickers as Samson; Marcel Journet, Harald Stamm, Robert Lloyd, Giorgio Tozzi, Richard Kogel, and Anton Diakov as the Old Hebrew (plus Alain Fondary and Ernest Blanc as the High Priest)
Preview: In which we hear a lady weighted by a heap of hurt [6/15/2012]
"Amour, viens aider ma faiblesse" sung by Maria Callas, Christa Ludwig, and Marjana Lipovšek

Among our team of operatic avengers, which does Saint-Saëns's Dalila resemble most? [6/24/2012]
Preview: Revenge! [6/22/2012]
Quick team takes on Mozart's Queen of the Night, Beethoven's Don Pizarro, and Wagner's Isolde; plus Dalila in vengeance mode with the High Priest in Act II (with Rita Gorr and Ernest Blanc; Marjana Lipovšek and Alain Fondary; and Gertrud Wettergren and Ezio Pinza)

RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POST

#

[6/22/2012] Preview: Revenge! (continued)

Olga Borodina as Dalila and Juha Uusitalo as the High
Priest in Saint-Saens's Samson et Dalila, San Francisco, 2007

AS I PROMISED, LET'S LISTEN TO OUR REVENGE SNIPS
AGAIN, WITH EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE IDENTIFIED

(1) MOZART: The Magic Flute, K. 620: Act II, Queen of the Night, "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" ("Hell's revenge seethes in my heart")": opening

Hell's revenge seethes in my heart!
Death and despair burn all around me.

[a] Edda Moser (s), Queen of the Night; Bavarian State Opera Orchestra, Wolfgang Sawallisch, cond. EMI, recorded August 1972
[b] Lucia Popp (s), Queen of the Night; Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1964
[c] [in English] Roberta Peters (s), Queen of the Night; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Bruno Walter, cond. Live performance, Mar. 3, 1956

(2) BEETHOVEN: Fidelio, Op. 72: Act I, Don Pizarro, "Ha! Welch ein Augenblick" ("Ha! What a moment!"): opening

Ha Ha! Ha, what a moment!
I will have my revenge!
Your fate calls you!
In his heart roots --
o wonder! -- great fortune.

[a] Ekkehard Wlaschiha (b), Don Pizarro; Staatskapelle Dresden, Bernard Haitink, cond. Philips, recorded November 1989
[b] Walter Berry (bs-b), Don Pizarro; Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan, cond. DG, recorded live at the Salzburg Festival, May 25, 1962
[c] Hans Hotter (b), Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Otto Klemperer, cond. Testament, recorded live, Feb. 24, 1961

(3) WAGNER: Tristan und Isolde: Act I excerpt, Isolde-Tristan, "Doch was einst mit Hand und Mund ich gelobt" ("But what once with hand and mouth I swore")

ISOLDE: But what once with hand
and mouth I swore --
that I swore silently to keep.
TRISTAN: What did you swear, lady?
ISOLDE: Revenge for Morold!

[a] Margaret Price (s), Isolde; René Kollo (t), Tristan; Staatskapelle Dresden, Carlos Kleiber, cond. DG, recorded 1980-82
[b] Birgit Nilsson (s), Isolde; Wolfgang Windgassen (t); Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Karl Böhm, cond. DG, recorded live at the Bayreuth Festival, 1966
[c] Kirsten Flagstad (s), Isolde; Lauritz Melchior (t), Tristan; London Philharmonic Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, cond. Recorded live at Covent Garden, May-June 1936


NOW BACK TO DALILA, AND A SIDE
OF HER WE HAVEN'T HEARD BEFORE

We've heard the Philistine seductress Dalila in her very public pose in the second scene of Act I as the adoring admirer of the Israelite conquering hero Samson, and we've heard her alone at the start of Act II, in front of her home in the Sarek valley, on the other side of the mountains from Gaza, voluptuously invoking love to aid her weakness in the destruction of Samson. There was something mysterious going on there -- anger, certainly, but I argued for deep hurt -- but nothing, I think, to prepare us for what comes out in the ensuing scene with the High Priest, who has huffed and puffed his way across the mountain on the urgent mission to recruit her to extracti from Samson the secret of his superhuman strength. Here's how this scene winds up.

SAINT-SAËNS: Samson et Dalila: Act II, Dalila-High Priest, "Il faut, pour assouvir ma haine" ("It is necessary, to assuage my hatred")

DALILA: It is necessary, to assuage my hatred,
it is necessary that my power enchain him!
I want him, conquered by love,
to bend his brown in his turn!
HIGH PRIEST: I want, to assuage my hatred,
I want for Dalila to enchain him!
It is necessary that, conquered by love,
he bend his brow in his turn!
DALILA: It is necessary, to assuage my hatred,
it is necessary that my power enchain him!
I want him, conquered by love,
to bend his brown in his turn!
HIGH PRIEST: In you alone is my hope;
to you the honor of vengeance! to you!
I want, to assuage my hatred, &c.
DALILA: To me the honor of vengeance!
to me the honor! to me!
It is necessary, to assuage my hatred, &c.
DALILA and the HIGH PRIEST: Let him bend his brow in his turn!
Let us unite! we two!
Let us unite! we two!
Death! Death! Death! Death! Death!
Death to the leader of the Hebrews!
HIGH PRIEST: Samson, you were telling me, is to return to this place?
DALILA: I expect him!
HIGH PRIEST: I'll distance myself; he could surprise us.
Soon I'll come back by secret paths.
The fate of my people, o woman, is in your hands.
Tear away from his heart the impenetrable shield
and discover the secret that hides from us his strength.
[He exits.]

Rita Gorr (ms), Dalila; Ernest Blanc (b), High Priest of Dagon; Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Sept.-Oct. 1962

Marjana Lipovšek (ms), Dalila; Alain Fondary (b), High Priest of Dagon; Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Sylvain Cambreling, cond. Koch-Schwann, recorded live at the Bregenz Festival, July 21, 1988

Gertrud Wettergren (ms), Dalila; Ezio Pinza (bs), High Priest of Dagon; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Maurice Abravanel, cond. Live performance, Dec. 26, 1936


IN THIS WEEK'S SUNDAY CLASSICS POST

We're going to try to figure out what makes our Dalila tick. We'll also hear fuller versions of our other revenge excerpts.

THE SAMSON ET DALILA SERIES

1. SAMSON

Part 1: Introducing Saint-Saëns' Samson, the second-angriest man in opera [3/11/2012]
Chorus and quartet from Act I of Rossini's William Tell
"Arrêtez, ô mes frères" sung by José Luccioni, Mario del Monaco, Plácido Domingo, José Cura, and Jon Vickers
Preview: These two Mystery Openings introduce works that I for one can't wait to hear more of [3/9/2012]
Samson excerpts sung by Georges Thill, Mario del Monaco, Plácido Domingo, Ramón Vinay, and Jon Vickers; plus excerpts from Ponchielli's La Gioconda and Verdi's Otello

Part 2: Let's hear how Samson rallies his people [3/25/2012]
Performances by Jon Vickers, Carlo Cossutta, et al., conducted by Georges Prêtre, Sylvain Cambreling, et al.
Preview: How we get to Samson's heroic first utterance [3/24/2012]
Performances of the opening conducted by Daniel Barenboim and Colin Davis; "Arrêtez, ô mes frères" sung by José Luccioni, Ludovic Spiess, Mario del Monaco

Part 3: Some mighty angry Israelites and Philistines -- the opening scene of Samson et Dalila, part 3 [4/29/2012]
The Abimélech and High Priest scenes, with Ezio Flagello, Simon Estes, Alexander Malta, and Yves Bisson (Abimélech); Paul Cabanel, Renato Bruson, Ezio Pinza, Robet Merrill, and Ernest Blanc (High Priest); Plácido Domingo, José Luccioni, Mario del Monaco, René Maison, Jon Vickers, James King, and Carlo Cossutta (Samson). The complete opening scene conducted by Louis Fourestier (1946, with Luccioni, Charles Cambon, Cabanel) and Georges Prêtre (1962, with Vickers, Anton Diakov, Blanc)

2. DALILA

Meet Saint-Saëns's Dalila [6/17/2012]
Second half of Act I with Louise Homer, Marjana Lipovšek, Elena Obraztsova, Risë Stevens, Maria Callas, Christa Ludwig, and Rita Gorr as Dalila; Enrico Caruso, Plácido Domingo, Mario del Monaco, and Jon Vickers as Samson; Marcel Journet, Harald Stamm, Robert Lloyd, Giorgio Tozzi, Richard Kogel, and Anton Diakov as the Old Hebrew (plus Alain Fondary and Ernest Blanc as the High Priest)
Preview: In which we hear a lady weighted by a heap of hurt [6/15/2012]
"Amour, viens aider ma faiblesse" sung by Maria Callas, Christa Ludwig, and Marjana Lipovšek

RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POST

#

[6/17/2012] Meet Saint-Saëns's Dalila (continued)

The Samson et Dalila Act I trio "Je viens célébrer la victoire" is sung by Louise Homer, Enrico Caruso, and Marcel Journet in this famous Victor recording made in Camden, NJ, on Feb. 10, 1919, with the Victor Orchestra conducted by Josef Pasternack.

DALILA [to SAMSON]: I come to celebrate the victory
of the one who reigns in my heart.
Dalila wishes for her conqueror
even more love than glory!
O my beloved, follow my steps
toward Sorek, the sweet valley,
to that isolated dwelling
where Dalila opens her arms to you!
SAMSON [aside]: O God! you who see my weakness,
take pity on your servant!
Close my eyes, close my heart
to the sweet voice that presses me.
DALILA: For you I have crowned my brow
with dark clusters of myrtle,
and put roses of Sharon
in my ebony hair.
OLD HEBREW: Turn away, my son, from her path!
Avoid and fear this foreign girl!

[And so on . . .]

IT TOOK US WEEKS (IT ONLY FELT LIKE MONTHS)
TO GET HALFWAY THROUGH ACT I OF SAMSON

THE SAMSON SERIES

Part 1: Introducing Saint-Saëns' Samson, the second-angriest man in opera [3/11/2012]
Chorus and quartet from Act I of Rossini's William Tell
"Arrêtez, ô mes frères" sung by José Luccioni, Mario del Monaco, Plácido Domingo, José Cura, and Jon Vickers
Preview: These two Mystery Openings introduce works that I for one can't wait to hear more of [3/9/2012]
Samson excerpts sung by Georges Thill, Mario del Monaco, Plácido Domingo, Ramón Vinay, and Jon Vickers; plus excerpts from Ponchielli's La Gioconda and Verdi's Otello

Part 2: Let's hear how Samson rallies his people [3/25/2012]
Performances by Jon Vickers, Carlo Cossutta, et al., conducted by Georges Prêtre, Sylvain Cambreling, et al.
Preview: How we get to Samson's heroic first utterance [3/24/2012]
Performances of the opening conducted by Daniel Barenboim and Colin Davis; "Arrêtez, ô mes frères" sung by José Luccioni, Ludovic Spiess, Mario del Monaco

Part 3: Some mighty angry Israelites and Philistines -- the opening scene of Samson et Dalila, part 3 [4/29/2012]
The Abimélech and High Priest scenes, with Ezio Flagello, Simon Estes, Alexander Malta, and Yves Bisson (Abimélech); Paul Cabanel, Renato Bruson, Ezio Pinza, Robet Merrill, and Ernest Blanc (High Priest); Plácido Domingo, José Luccioni, Mario del Monaco, René Maison, Jon Vickers, James King, and Carlo Cossutta (Samson). The complete opening scene conducted by Louis Fourestier (1946, with Luccioni, Charles Cambon, Cabanel) and Georges Prêtre (1962, with Vickers, Anton Diakov, Blanc)

Meet Saint-Saëns's Dalila [6/17/2012]
Second half of Act I with Louise Homer, Marjana Lipovšek, Elena Obraztsova, Risë Stevens, Maria Callas, Christa Ludwig, and Rita Gorr as Dalila; Enrico Caruso, Plácido Domingo, Mario del Monaco, and Jon Vickers as Samson; Marcel Journet, Harald Stamm, Robert Lloyd, Giorgio Tozzi, Richard Kogel, and Anton Diakov as the Old Hebrew (plus Alain Fondary and Ernest Blanc as the High Priest)
Preview: In which we hear a lady weighted by a heap of hurt [6/15/2012]
"Amour, viens aider ma faiblesse" sung by Maria Callas, Christa Ludwig, and Marjana Lipovšek

NOW, AS WE ATTACK THE SECOND SCENE OF ACT I,
LET'S BACK UP TO THE HIGH PRIEST'S TIRADE

So we had the High Priest of Dagon entering the scene to find the mighty Abimélech struck down dead at the hand of the rampaging Hebrews, and laying a curse forever on "the race of the children of Israel." Following the orchestral Daybreak, the older Hebrews sing a "Hymn of joy, hymn of deliverance."

Samson et Dalila: Act I, High Priest, "Maudite à jamais soit la race des enfants d'Israël" ("Accursed forever be the race of the children of Israel"); Daybreak; Old Hebrews, "Hymne de joie! Hymne de délivrance!" ("Hymn of joy! Hymn of deliverance!")

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!

Daybreak (Orchestra)

OLD HEBREWS: Hymn of joy! Hymn of deliverance!
Rise up to the Eternal!
He deigned in his omnipotence
to succor Israel!
By him the weak have become masters
of the strong who oppressed them.
He conquered the proud ones and the traitor
who once abused him.

Alain Fondary (b), High Priest; Vienna Volksoper Chorus, Sofia Chamber Chorus, Bregenz Festival Chorus, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Sylvain Cambreling, cond. Koch-Schwann, recorded live at the Bregenz Festival, July 21, 1988

NOW WE HEAR FROM AN ELDERLY BUSYBODY

The old Hebrew known just as "an Old Hebrew" (another single-scene bass, like Abimélech), who feels obliged to regale the just-entered Samson and the other younger Hebrews with some of his dire Old Testament-type wisdom of caution and warning. After which: "The doors of the temple of Dagon open. Dalila enters, followed by Philistine women holding garlands of flowers in their hands. After they sing their greeting to spring, we hear Dalila launch her assault on Samson, declaring, "I come to celebrate the victory of the one who reigns in my heart," which will blossom (in a moment) into a trio with Samson and the Old Hebrew.

Samson et Dalila: Act I, Old Hebrew, "Il nous frappait dans sa colère" ("He struck us down in his anger"); Philistine Women, "Voice le printemps, nous portant des fleurs" ("Here is spring, bringing us flowers") . . . Dalila, "Je viens célébrer la victoire de celui qui règne dans mon coeur" ("I come to celebrate the victory of the one who reigns in my heart")

OLD HEBREWS: He struck us down in his anger,
for we had defied his laws.
Later, our foreheads in the dust,
toward him we raised our voice.
He told his beloved tribes:
"Rise up! March into combat!"
I am the Lord of Hosts [armies],
I am the strength of your arms.
OLD HEBREWS and THE OLD HEBREW:
He has come toward us in our distress,
for his sons are dear to him.
Let the universe jump with joy.
He has broken our irons!
Hymn of joy! Hymn of deliverance!
Rise up toward the Eternal!
He deigned in his omnipotence
to succor Israel.

PHILISTINE WOMEN: Here is spring, bringing us flowers
to adorn the brows of the conquering warriors!
Let's mingle our tones with the perfume of barely opened roses.
Let's sing with the bird, my sisters!
Beauty, gift of heaven, springtime of our days,
sweet charm of the eyes, hope of loves,
penetrate our hearts, pour into our souls
your gentle flames!
Let's love, sisters, let's love always!
DALILA [to SAMSON]: I come to celebrate the victory
of the one who reigns in my heart.
Dalila wishes for her conqueror
even more love than glory!
O my beloved, follow my steps
toward Sorek, the sweet valley,
to that isolated dwelling
where Dalila opens her arms to you!

Harald Stamm (bs), An Old Hebrew; Marjana Lipovšek (ms), Dalila; Vienna Volksoper Chorus, Sofia Chamber Chorus, Bregenz Festival Chorus, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Sylvain Cambreling, cond. Koch-Schwann, recorded live at the Bregenz Festival, July 21, 1988

HERE'S THE FULL "JE VIENS CÉLÉBRER" TRIO

I've tacked on the following "Dance of the Priestesses of Dagon," during which Dalila steps up her, er, focus on Samson -- a lamb to slaughter in her practiced hands.

Samson et Dalila: Act I, Trio, Dalila-Samson-Old Hebrew, "Je viens célébrer la victoire de celui qui règne dans mon coeur" ("I come to celebrate the victory of the one who reigns in my heart"); Dance of the Priestesses of Dagon

DALILA [to SAMSON]: I come to celebrate the victory
of the one who reigns in my heart.
Dalila wishes for her conqueror
even more love than glory!
O my beloved, follow my steps
toward Sorek, the sweet valley,
to that isolated dwelling
where Dalila opens her arms to you!
SAMSON [aside]: O God! you who see my weakness,
take pity on your servant!
Close my eyes, close my heart
to the sweet voice that presses me.
DALILA: For you I have crowned my brow
with dark clusters of myrtle,
and put roses of Sharon
in my ebony hair.
OLD HEBREW: Turn away, my son, from her path!
Avoid and fear this foreign girl!

[And so on . . .]

Elena Obraztsova (ms), Dalila; Plácido Domingo (t), Samson; Robert Lloyd (bs), An Old Hebrew; Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Barenboim, cond. DG, recorded July 1978

Risë Stevens (ms), Dalila; Mario del Monaco (t), Samson; Giorgio Tozzi (bs), An Old Hebrew; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Fausto Cleva, cond. Live performance, Apr. 12, 1958

FINALLY WE COME TO CALLAS'S "PRINTEMPS QUI COMMENCE"

Samson et Dalila: Act I: Dalila, "Printemps qui commence, portant l'espérance" ("Spring that begins, bringing hope")

DALILA: Spring that begins,
bringing hope
to amorous hearts,
your breath that passes
erases from the earth
unhappy days.
Everything burns in our souls,
and the sweet flame
comes to dry our tears;
you restore to the earth,
by a sweet mystery,
fruit and flowers.
In vain am I beautiful!
My heart full of love,
weeping for the unfaithful one,
awaits his return!
Living in hope,
my desolate heart
holds onto memory
of past happiness.
[Addressing SAMSON]
At falling night
I will go, a sad lover,
and sit in the stream,
awaiting him, weeping!

Maria Callas (s), Dalila; Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1961

AND HERE'S HOW IT FITS INTO THE END OF ACT I

Once again we hear from the kvetching Old Hebrew, with predictably dark forebodings. (Sure, sure, he happens to be right. But since when do prophets of doom get any credit for being right? What world do you live in?)

Samson et Dalila: Act I, Dalila, "Printemps qui commence" to end of act

DALILA: Spring that begins,
bringing hope
to amorous hearts,
your breath that passes
erases from the earth
unhappy days.
Everything burns in our souls,
and the sweet flame
comes to dry our tears;
you restore to the earth,
by a sweet mystery,
fruit and flowers.
In vain am I beautiful!
My heart full of love,
weeping for the unfaithful one,
awaits his return!
Living in hope,
my desolate heart
holds onto memory
of past happiness.
[Addressing SAMSON]
At falling night
I will go, a sad lover,
and sit in the stream,
awaiting him, weeping!
OLD HEBREW: The spirit of evil has led this woman
onto your path to disturb your peace of mind.
Flee the burning flame of her glances!
It's a poison that consumes the bones!
DALILA: Chasing away my sadness,
if he comes one day,
for him my tenderness.
[DALILA while singing regains the steps of the temple and glances provocatively at SAMSON; the latter seems under her spell. He hesitates; he struggles and betrays the unquiet in his soul.]
For him my tenderness.
And the sweet delight
that a burning love
holds onto for his return!

Christa Ludwig (ms), Dalila; Richard Kogel (bs), An Old Hebrew; Bavarian Radio Chorus, Munich Radio Orchestra, Giuseppe Patanè, cond. Eurodisc/BMG, recorded 1972

Marjana Lipovšek (ms), Dalila; Harald Stamm (bs), An Old Hebrew; Vienna Volksoper Chorus, Sofia Chamber Chorus, Bregenz Festival Chorus, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Sylvain Cambreling, cond. Koch-Schwann, recorded live at the Bregenz Festival, July 21, 1988

Risë Stevens (ms), Dalila; Giorgio Tozzi (bs), An Old Hebrew; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Fausto Cleva, cond. Live performance, Apr. 12, 1958

FINALLY, LET'S HEAR THE WHOLE SECOND SCENE OF
ACT I IN OUR PRIZED 1962 EMI SAMSON RECORDING

Samson et Dalila: Act I, Scene 2 (complete)

Rita Gorr (ms), Dalila; Jon Vickers (t), Samson; Anton Diakov (bs), An Old Hebrew; René Duclos Chorus, Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Oct-Nov. 1962


UH-OH, WE STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN BACK TO
DALILA'S ACT II OPENING MONOLOGUE . . .

Well, we did make it all the way through Act I. But if the idea was to tie up with my talk in Friday's preview of Dalila as "a lady weighted by a heap of hurt," well, we didn't get there. It's certainly not in evidence in any of today's music. The point, though, is that it's not until the Act II opening monologue that we encounter Dalila alone. There's no reason not to assume that everything that comes before (and after, in the case of "Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix") represents her playing angles of one sort or another.

And I have to say that in claiming Dalila as a victim of sorts here I'm flying without a net -- there's not a lot in the libretto to back it up. But I say there sure is in the music. I guess it's going to take another installment to explain that. And we'll hear then, as promised, from that "Irish cousin" of hers I mentioned Friday.


RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE POST

#

[6/5/2012] Preview: In which we hear a lady weighted by a heap of hurt

Waiting for Samson: the Sorek valley in modern-day Israel

SAINT-SAËNS: Samson et Dalila, Op. 47: Act II: Dalila, "Samson, recherchant ma présence" ("Samson, seeking my presence again") . . . "Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse!" ("Love! come aid my weakness!")

[For an English translation of the text, see below.]

Maria Callas (s), Dalila; Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1961

NOW LET'S PUT THE ACT II PRELUDE
AND DALILA'S GREAT SOLO TOGETHER

Note that in these excerpts, not only do we have the Act II Prelude before the aria, but afterward we hear the orchestral transition up to the actual entrance of the High Priest. In this brief passage we hear a continuation of Saint-Saëns's musical characterization of the approaching thunderstorm -- surely begun in the Act II Prelude -- of the approaching thunderstorm, which will run through Dalila's great scenes with the High Priest and then Samson.

SAINT-SAËNS: Samson et Dalila, Op. 47: Act II: Prelude: Dalila, "Samson, recherchant ma présence" ("Samson, seeking my presence again") . . . "Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse!" ("Love! come aid my weakness!")

The stage represents the valley of Sorek in Palestine. At left, the dwelling of DALILA, fronted by a light portico and surrounded by Asiatic plants and luxuriant vines. Night is beginning, and becomes complete through the course of the act.

Prelude

At curtain rise, DALILA is seated on a rock near the portico of her house, seeming lost in reverie.

DALILA: Samson, seeking my presence again,
this evening is to come to this place.
Here is the hour of vengeance,
which must satisfy our gods.

Love! come aid my weakness!
Pour the poison in his breast!
Make it happen that, conquered by my artfulness,
Samson is in fetters tomorrow!
In vain would he wish to be able
to chase me out of his soul, to banish me.
Could he extinguish the flame
that memory feeds?
He is mine! my slave!
My brothers fear his wrath;
I, along among all, I defy him
and hold him at my knees!

Love! come aid my weakness!
Pour the poison in his breast!
Make it happen that, conquered by my artfulness,
Samson is in fetters tomorrow!
Against strength is useless,
and he, the strong among the strong,
he, who broke his people's chains,
will succumb to my efforts.

Christa Ludwig (ms), Dalila; Munich Radio Orchestra, Giuseppe Patanè, cond. Eurodisc/BMG, recorded 1973

Marjana Lipovšek (ms), Dalila; Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Sylvain Cambreling, cond. Koch-Schwann, recorded live at the Bregenz Festival, July 21, 1988


IN THIS WEEK'S SUNDAY CLASSICS POST . . .

We're going to hear more from Dalila, and from a perhaps surprising Irish cousin of hers.


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[4/29/2012] Some mighty angry Israelites and Philistines -- the opening scene of "Samson et Dalila," part 3 (continued)

Considering how long it's taken us to get halfway through Act I of Samson, we're not going to make it to Act III anytime soon. Here's Plácido Domingo as the blind Samson of Act III singing "Vois ma misère, hélas" ("See my misery, alas").


SAMSON REACHES HIS PEAK OF FERVOR, IN A
MUSICAL EXHORTATION IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN

In a moment we're going to be listening in proper sequence to the remaining scenes (counting them in the old-fashioned theatrical way, where the entrance of any new character marks the beginning of a new "scene") that make up the opening scene of Samson. But first I wanted to expand a bit on the taste I offered before the click-through of Samson's final exhortation to his fellow Hebrews, "Israël, romps ta chaîne" ("Israel, break your chains"). So we're going to listen now to his reply to Abimélech's rant, and then hear, first, how he comes to urge this particular urging, and then how it develops and expands.

SAINT-SAÉNS: Samson et Dalila: Act I, Scene 2, Samson, "C'est toi que sa bouche invective" ("It's you whom his mouth reviles") . . . "Israël, romps ta chaîne!" ("Israel, break your chains")

SAMSON: It's you whom his mouth reviles,
and yet the earth hasn't trembled?
O Lord! The abyss is upon us.
I see in the hands of angels
a weapon of shame shining,
and the phalanxes of heaven
gather to avenge God.
Yes, the angel of darkness,
while passing before them,
utters funereal cries
that make the heavens tremble!
Finally the hour has come,
the hour of God the Avenger,
and I hear, in the clouds,
his fury bursting.
Yes, in the face of his wrath
all are terrified and flee!
One feels the earth trembling;
in the heavens lightning flashes!
CHORUS OF HEBREWS: Yes, in the face of his wrath
all are terrified and flee!
One feels the earth trembling;
in the heavens lightning flashes!
ABIMÉLECH: Stop! Mad, reckless man!
Or fear exciting my wrath!
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!
THE HEBREWS: Israel, break your chains, &c.
SAMSON: Yes, in the face of his wrath
all are terrified and flee!
One feels the earth trembling;
in the heavens lightning flashes!
He unleashes the tempest;
one sees at his passing
the ocean retreating!
THE HEBREWS and SAMSON: Israel, break your chains, &c.
[ABIMÉLECH hurls himself, sword in hand, to strike him. SAMSON snatches the sword from him and strikes him. ABIMÉLECH cries for help while falling. The Philistines who accompany the satrap want to help him; SAMSON, brandishing his sword, drives them off. The greatest confusion reigns among them. SAMSON and THE HEBREWS exit the stage.]

René Maison (t), Samson; John Gurney (bs), Abimélech; Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Maurice Abravanel, cond. Live performance, Dec. 26, 1936

Jon Vickers (t), Samson; Anton Diakov (bs), Abimélech; René Duclos Chorus, Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Sept. 25-Oct. 10, 1962

Plácido Domingo (t), Samson; Jean-Philippe Courtis (bs), Abimélech; Chorus and Orchestra of Opéra-Bastille, Myung-Whun Chung, cond. EMI, recorded July 1-11, 1991

OKAY, LET'S BACK UP TO ABIMÉLECH'S ENTRANCE

Samson et Dalila: Act I, Scene 2 (Abimélech scene)

Scene 2
[ABIMÉLECH enters, followed by several warriors and Philistine soldiers.]
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!
[2nd stanza omitted in the RCA excerpts:]
This God whom your voice implores
has remained deaf to your cries,
and you still dare to pray to him
when he delivers you into our contempt?
If his power isn't vain,
let him show his divinity!
Let him come to break your chains!
Let him restore your freedom!
Do you think this God comparable
to Dagon, the greatest of gods,
guiding with his redoubtable arm
our victorious warriors?
Your fearful divinity
fled trembling before him,
as the plaintive dove
flees the vulture that pursues it!
SAMSON: It's you whom his mouth reviles . . . .
[Continues as above.]

[2nd stanza of Abimélech diatribe omitted, as noted above] Ezio Flagello (bs), Abimélech; Mario del Monaco (t), Samson; Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Fausto Cleva, cond. RCA, recorded 1958

Alexander Malta (bs), Abimélech; James King (t), Samson; Bavarian Radio Chorus, Munich Radio Orchestra, Giuseppe Patanè, cond. Eurodisc/BMG Sony, recorded c1972

Yves Bisson (bs), Abimélech; Carlo Cossutta (t), Samson; Vienna Volksoper Chorus, Sofia Chamber Chorus, Bregenz Festival Chorus, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Sylvain Cambreling, cond. Koch, recorded live, July 21, 1988

NOW LET'S LET THE HIGH PRIEST MAKE HIS ENTRANCE

Samson et Dalila: Act I, Scenes 3-4 (High Priest scene)

Scene 3
[The doors of the temple of Dagon open. The High Priest, followed by numerous servants and guards, descends the steps of the portico. He stops in front of the corpse of ABIMÉLECH; the Philistines step aside before him.]
HIGH PRIEST: What do I see? Abimélech! Struck down by slaves!
Why let them escape? Let's run, let's run, my worthies!
To avenge your prince, crush under your blows
this uprisen people daring your wrath!
1ST PHILISTINE: I felt all my blood
freeze in my veins.
It seems like the chaines
are suddenly going to entwine me.
2ND PHILISTINE: I search in vain for my weapons!
My arms are powerless!
My heart is filled with anxieties!
My knees are trembling!
HIGH PRIEST: Cowards! More cowardly than women!
You flee in the face of combat!
Do you fear the flames of their God
which will shrivel in you arms?
Scene 4
[A Philistine messenger enters.]
MESSENGER: My lord! The furious mob
that Samson leads and guides
in his audacious revolt
draws near, ravaging the harvest!
THE TWO PHILISTINES and THE MESSENGER:
Let's flee from needless danger!
Let's leave this place as quickly as possible!
My lord, let's abandon the city
and hide our shame from view!
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!
Accursed be the breast of the woman
who made him see the day!
Let finally an infamous woman
betray his love!
Accursed be the God he adores --
this God, his sole hope!
And whose altar and power
my hatred once again insults.

Ezio Pinza (bs), High Priest of Dagon; Max Altglass (t) and Wilfred Engelman (b), Philistines; Angelo Bada (t), Messenger; Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Maurice Abravanel, cond. Live performance, Dec. 26, 1936

Robert Merrill (b), High Priest of Dagon; Leslie Chabay (t) and Clifford Harvuot (b), Philistines; Emery Darcy (t), Messenger; Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Emil Cooper, cond. Live performance, Nov. 26, 1949

Ernest Blanc (b), High Priest of Dagon; Jacques Potier (t) and Jean-Pierre Hurteau (bs), Philistines; Rémy Corazza (t), Messenger; René Duclos Chorus, Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Sept. 25-Oct. 10, 1962

NOW IT'S TIME TO LISTEN TO THE WHOLE
OF THE OPENING SCENE OF SAMSON

And we're going to hear two performances we've been sampling the whole way: my much-loved 1962 EMI version with Rita Gorr, Jon Vickers, and Ernest Blanc, wonderfully conducted by Georges Prêtre; and the 1946 EMI version, on the strength of its solid (French!) Samson, José Luccioni plus the splendid High Priest of Paul Cabanel and the vocallly bottom-shy but otherwise first-rate Abimélech of Charles Cambon.

Unless I've screwed it up somewhere (always a possibility), I've organized both performances with track switches that actually work in our favor, breaking the scene down into the same four logical units.

SAINT-SAÉNS: Samson et Dalila:
Act I opening scene (complete)

(1) Orchestral introduction and Scene 1 beginning
(2) Scene 1 from Samson's "Arrêtez, ô mes frères"
(3) Scene 2 (Abimélech)
(4) Scenes 3-4 (High Priest)


José Luccioni (t), Samson; Charles Cambon (b), Abimélech; Paul Cabanel (b), High Priest of Dagon; et al.; Chorus and Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Louis Fourestier, cond. EMI, recorded September 1946

Jon Vickers (t), Samson; Anton Diakov (bs), Abimélech; Ernest Blanc (b), High Priest of Dagon; Jacques Potier (t) and Jean-Pierre Hurteau (bs), Philistines; Rémy Corazza (t), Messenger; René Duclos Chorus, Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris, Georges Prêtre, cond. EMI, recorded Sept. 25-Oct. 10, 1962

UPDATE: I knew I would screw up big-time somewhere with these audio files, and both of these were wrong. Track 4 of the Fourestier recording now stops at the end of the opening scene, and the Prêtre recording now actually is the Prêtre recording, I think.

THE SAMSON SERIES

Part 1: Introducing Saint-Saëns' Samson, the second-angriest man in opera [3/11/2012]
Chorus and quartet from Act I of Rossini's William Tell
"Arrêtez, ô mes frères" sung by José Luccioni, Mario del Monaco, Plácido Domingo, José Cura, and Jon Vickers
Preview: These two Mystery Openings introduce works that I for one can't wait to hear more of [3/9/2012]
Samson excerpts sung by Georges Thill, Mario del Monaco, Plácido Domingo, Ramón Vinay, and Jon Vickers; plus excerpts from Ponchielli's La Gioconda and Verdi's Otello

Part 2: Let's hear how Samson rallies his people [3/25/2012]
Performances by Jon Vickers, Carlo Cossutta, et al., conducted by Georges Prêtre, Sylvain Cambreling, et al.
Preview: How we get to Samson's heroic first utterance [3/24/2012]
Performances of the opening conducted by Daniel Barenboim and Colin Davis; "Arrêtez, ô mes frères" sung by José Luccioni, Ludovic Spiess, Mario del Monaco

Part 3: Some mighty angry Israelites and Philistines -- the opening scene of Samson et Dalila, part 3 [4/29/2012]
The Abimélech and High Priest scenes, with Ezio Flagello, Simon Estes, Alexander Malta, and Yves Bisson (Abimélech); Paul Cabanel, Renato Bruson, Ezio Pinza, Robet Merrill, and Ernest Blanc (High Priest); Plácido Domingo, José Luccioni, Mario del Monaco, René Maison, Jon Vickers, James King, and Carlo Cossutta (Samson). The complete opening scene conducted by Louis Fourestier (1946, with Luccioni, Charles Cambon, Cabanel) and Georges Prêtre (1962, with Vickers, Anton Diakov, Blanc)

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