2002-12-15 Samson et Dalila (C. Saint-Saëns), Barbican (London)
Opera Konzertant
Samson = José Cura
Dalila = Marina Domashenko
Grand Pretre de Dagon = Juha Uusitalo
Abimelech = John Relyea
Un Vielliard Hebreu = Robert Lloyd
Messenger = Peter Auty
First Philistine = Alasdair Elliott
Second Philistine = Mark Stone
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
SAMSON = Jose Cura, tenor
DALILA = Marina Domashenko, mezzo-soprano
(replaces Carolyn Sebron, mezzo-soprano)
(replaces Olga Borodina)
The High Priest of Dagon = Juha Uusitalo, baritone
Abimelech = John Relyea, bass
And Old Hebrew = Robert Lloyd, bass
London Symphony Chorus
Saint-Saëns Samson and Delilah
This was just the concert version of the opera. And the Barbican Hall is air-conditioned, something that I think contributed to the drier sound of the singers than on the dress-rehearsal Dec13th.
This time the hall was full and the chorus was onstage also on the second act, even though they had nothing to sing, but they probably just wanted to see José Cura, Marina Domashenko and Juha Uusitalo sing the wonderful act 2 of Samson et Dalila.
The soloists was all dressed in black except Marina Domashenko who was in a shimmering grey dress. Even more acting in this premiere-night than on the dress-rehearsal, especially as it concerns José Cura and Marina Domashenko. Both have sung their roles in opera houses, so they knew exactly what was happening.
It was a wonderful opera-night, even if only a concert. Unfortunately I got real sick when I came back to my hotel, I was nearly not well enough to get to Heathrow and to take my plane back to Norway. Then in Norway I found out that I naturally had gotten a cold, presumably in London.
So a wonderful concert turns into a blues, but not because of the soloists, the chorus, the orchestra and the conductor.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, all !
This page was last updated: June 20, 2022
