The Metropolitan Opera: Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila

Synopsis

A towering biblical epic, Saint-Saëns’s operatic take on the story of Samson and Delilah has many of the hallmarks of grand opera—show-stopping vocal displays, thrilling choruses, and an engrossing plot set against a sweeping, pseudo-historical backdrop. It’s fitting, then, that Samson et Dalila has been chosen to celebrate the opening of the Met’s season four times in the company’s history, including when Darko Tresnjak’s bold new production premiered on the first night of the 2018–19 season. A few weeks later, the opera was shown as part of the Met’s series of live cinema transmissions, featuring an exceptional cast. Tenor Roberto Alagna was the heroic Samson, who ultimately falls victim to the seductive power of Dalila—the captivating mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča. Bass-baritone Laurent Naouri sang the sinister High Priest of Dagon, with conductor Sir Mark Elder on the podium.

Main Cast

Roberto Alagna

Samson

Age : 60 | Popularity : 3%

Elina Garanca

Dalila

Age : 47 | Popularity : 10%

Laurent Naouri

The High Priest of Dagon

Age : 59 | Popularity : 7%

Elchin Azizov

Abimélech

Age : N/A | Popularity : 3%

Dmitry Belosselskiy

The Old Hebrew

Age : N/A | Popularity : 3%

Tony Stevenson

First Philistine

Age : N/A | Popularity : 3%

Bradley Garvin

Second Philistine

Age : N/A | Popularity : 3%

Mark Schowalter

A Philistine Messenger

Age : N/A | Popularity : 3%

Crew

Department	Role	Name
Directing	Director	Gary Halvorson Darko Tresnjak
Production	Executive Producer	Peter Gelb
	Producer	Louisa Briccetti Victoria Warivonchik
	Supervising Producer	Mia Bongiovanni Elena Park
Sound	Original Music Composer	Camille Saint-Saëns
	Conductor	Mark Elder
	Music Producer	David Frost
Lighting	Lighting Design	Donald Holder
Crew	Choreographer	Austin M. Craig
	Technical Supervisor	Ron Washburn
Writing	Writer	Ferdinand Lemaire
Art	Production Design	Darko Tresnjak
	Set Designer	Alexander Dodge
	Assistant Set Designer	Ann Beyersdorfer Bryce Cutler Colin McGurk
Costume & Make-Up	Costume Designer	Linda Cho
	Makeup & Hair	Tera Willis
	Assistant Costume Designer	Robert Lurie Robert Croghan
Department	Role	Name

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