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Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila
SeokJong Baek (Samson); Elīna Garanča (Dalila); Łukasz Goliński (High Priest of Dagon); Alan Pingarrón (First Philistine); Chuma Sijeqa (Second Philistine); Thando Mjandana (Philistine Messenger); Blaise Malaba (Abimélech); Goderdzi Janelidze (Old Hebrew)
Pious restraint comes face to face with sensuous hedonism in Camille Saint-Saëns’s grand-opera retelling of the Bible story of Samson and Delilah.
Multi-Olivier Award winning director Richard Jones returns to The Royal Opera to stage this spectacular fin-de-siècle masterpiece, not performed at Covent Garden since 2004. Elīna Garanča stars as the Philistine Dalila, SeokJong Baek as the inspiring Jewish hero Samson and Antonio Pappano conducts the full forces of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. With superb singing in solos and duets of great intimacy and fervour, gorgeous music with thrilling orchestral interludes, and splendid choral numbers for the Royal Opera Chorus – this is a performance to remember.
DVD
Genre: Opera
Release Date: 26/01/2024
Sound Formats: Dolby Digital 2.0 & DTS Digital Surround 5.1
Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic
Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, JP, KO
Catalogue Number: OA1371D
BLU-RAY
Genre: Opera
Release Date: 26/01/2024
Sound Formats: LPCM Stereo 2.0 & DTS-HD Master Audio Surround 5.1
Ratio: 16:9
Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, JP, KO
Catalogue Number: OABD7315D
Conductor(s):
Antonio Pappano
Antonio Pappano
Orchestra(s):
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus
Artist(s):
SeokJong Baek; Elīna Garanča; Łukasz Goliński; Alan Pingarrón; Chuma Sijeqa; Thando Mjandana; Blaise Malaba; Goderdzi Janelidze; The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus; Antonio Pappano
SeokJong Baek; Elīna Garanča; Łukasz Goliński; Alan Pingarrón; Chuma Sijeqa; Thando Mjandana; Blaise Malaba; Goderdzi Janelidze; The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus; Antonio Pappano
"Elīna Garanča’s performance in Saint-Saëns’s opera smoulders with vindictive passion.
Music director Antonio Pappano draws huge power and passion from Saint-Saëns’s score and at the final reckoning his faith in the music is the religion that carries the day here." (The Financial Times ★★★)
"... a surging biblical epic with star turns ... Richard Jones' entertaining new Royal Opera staging ..." (The Times ★★★★)
"Garanča is an irresistible Dalila, seductively smooth in submission, steely in command and appealing in between… the Covent Garden choir sing lustily… The ROH orchestra nicely brings out the different moods that characterise the Israelites and their oppressors.
" (British Theatre Guide)
"SeokJong Baek ... makes a mightily impressive Royal Opera stage debut. Conducted by Antonio Pappano, the orchestra relishes the melodious score without wallowing in its lushness, however great the temptation." (The Guardian ★★★)
"It has unquestionable strengths: musically it is extremely fine; and it’s strikingly filmed by Peter Jones… [Garanča] is simply magnificent throughout, her tone dark and velvety, those low notes all sumptuously in place, her upper registers gleaming… There are strong performances elsewhere." (Gramophone)
"Pappano conducts with an intriguing blend of vigour and perfume, and the orchestra and chorus are excellent. SeokJohn Baek makes a house and role debut as Samson and is exciting. Elina Garanča is a seductive Dalila… They spark well off each other. The remaining cast is solid." (Opera Now ★★★)
"Dalia, Elina Garanča, is the magnetic center of the performance, magnificently costumed and staged as a sensual primordial power, which everyone stands powerless against." (Klassik (Quarterly) ★★★★★)
Music director Antonio Pappano draws huge power and passion from Saint-Saëns’s score and at the final reckoning his faith in the music is the religion that carries the day here." (The Financial Times ★★★)
"... a surging biblical epic with star turns ... Richard Jones' entertaining new Royal Opera staging ..." (The Times ★★★★)
"Garanča is an irresistible Dalila, seductively smooth in submission, steely in command and appealing in between… the Covent Garden choir sing lustily… The ROH orchestra nicely brings out the different moods that characterise the Israelites and their oppressors.
" (British Theatre Guide)
"SeokJong Baek ... makes a mightily impressive Royal Opera stage debut. Conducted by Antonio Pappano, the orchestra relishes the melodious score without wallowing in its lushness, however great the temptation." (The Guardian ★★★)
"It has unquestionable strengths: musically it is extremely fine; and it’s strikingly filmed by Peter Jones… [Garanča] is simply magnificent throughout, her tone dark and velvety, those low notes all sumptuously in place, her upper registers gleaming… There are strong performances elsewhere." (Gramophone)
"Pappano conducts with an intriguing blend of vigour and perfume, and the orchestra and chorus are excellent. SeokJohn Baek makes a house and role debut as Samson and is exciting. Elina Garanča is a seductive Dalila… They spark well off each other. The remaining cast is solid." (Opera Now ★★★)
"Dalia, Elina Garanča, is the magnetic center of the performance, magnificently costumed and staged as a sensual primordial power, which everyone stands powerless against." (Klassik (Quarterly) ★★★★★)
SeokJong Baek (Samson); Elīna Garanča (Dalila); Łukasz Goliński (High Priest of Dagon); Alan Pingarrón (First Philistine); Chuma Sijeqa (Second Philistine); Thando Mjandana (Philistine Messenger); Blaise Malaba (Abimélech); Goderdzi Janelidze (Old Hebrew)
Pious restraint comes face to face with sensuous hedonism in Camille Saint-Saëns’s grand-opera retelling of the Bible story of Samson and Delilah.
Multi-Olivier Award winning director Richard Jones returns to The Royal Opera to stage this spectacular fin-de-siècle masterpiece, not performed at Covent Garden since 2004. Elīna Garanča stars as the Philistine Dalila, SeokJong Baek as the inspiring Jewish hero Samson and Antonio Pappano conducts the full forces of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. With superb singing in solos and duets of great intimacy and fervour, gorgeous music with thrilling orchestral interludes, and splendid choral numbers for the Royal Opera Chorus – this is a performance to remember.
DVD
Genre: Opera
Release Date: 26/01/2024
Sound Formats: Dolby Digital 2.0 & DTS Digital Surround 5.1
Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic
Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, JP, KO
Catalogue Number: OA1371D
BLU-RAY
Genre: Opera
Release Date: 26/01/2024
Sound Formats: LPCM Stereo 2.0 & DTS-HD Master Audio Surround 5.1
Ratio: 16:9
Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, JP, KO
Catalogue Number: OABD7315D
Conductor(s):
Antonio Pappano
Antonio Pappano
Orchestra(s):
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus
Artist(s):
SeokJong Baek; Elīna Garanča; Łukasz Goliński; Alan Pingarrón; Chuma Sijeqa; Thando Mjandana; Blaise Malaba; Goderdzi Janelidze; The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus; Antonio Pappano
SeokJong Baek; Elīna Garanča; Łukasz Goliński; Alan Pingarrón; Chuma Sijeqa; Thando Mjandana; Blaise Malaba; Goderdzi Janelidze; The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus; Antonio Pappano
"Elīna Garanča’s performance in Saint-Saëns’s opera smoulders with vindictive passion.
Music director Antonio Pappano draws huge power and passion from Saint-Saëns’s score and at the final reckoning his faith in the music is the religion that carries the day here." (The Financial Times ★★★)
"... a surging biblical epic with star turns ... Richard Jones' entertaining new Royal Opera staging ..." (The Times ★★★★)
"Garanča is an irresistible Dalila, seductively smooth in submission, steely in command and appealing in between… the Covent Garden choir sing lustily… The ROH orchestra nicely brings out the different moods that characterise the Israelites and their oppressors.
" (British Theatre Guide)
"SeokJong Baek ... makes a mightily impressive Royal Opera stage debut. Conducted by Antonio Pappano, the orchestra relishes the melodious score without wallowing in its lushness, however great the temptation." (The Guardian ★★★)
"It has unquestionable strengths: musically it is extremely fine; and it’s strikingly filmed by Peter Jones… [Garanča] is simply magnificent throughout, her tone dark and velvety, those low notes all sumptuously in place, her upper registers gleaming… There are strong performances elsewhere." (Gramophone)
"Pappano conducts with an intriguing blend of vigour and perfume, and the orchestra and chorus are excellent. SeokJohn Baek makes a house and role debut as Samson and is exciting. Elina Garanča is a seductive Dalila… They spark well off each other. The remaining cast is solid." (Opera Now ★★★)
"Dalia, Elina Garanča, is the magnetic center of the performance, magnificently costumed and staged as a sensual primordial power, which everyone stands powerless against." (Klassik (Quarterly) ★★★★★)
Music director Antonio Pappano draws huge power and passion from Saint-Saëns’s score and at the final reckoning his faith in the music is the religion that carries the day here." (The Financial Times ★★★)
"... a surging biblical epic with star turns ... Richard Jones' entertaining new Royal Opera staging ..." (The Times ★★★★)
"Garanča is an irresistible Dalila, seductively smooth in submission, steely in command and appealing in between… the Covent Garden choir sing lustily… The ROH orchestra nicely brings out the different moods that characterise the Israelites and their oppressors.
" (British Theatre Guide)
"SeokJong Baek ... makes a mightily impressive Royal Opera stage debut. Conducted by Antonio Pappano, the orchestra relishes the melodious score without wallowing in its lushness, however great the temptation." (The Guardian ★★★)
"It has unquestionable strengths: musically it is extremely fine; and it’s strikingly filmed by Peter Jones… [Garanča] is simply magnificent throughout, her tone dark and velvety, those low notes all sumptuously in place, her upper registers gleaming… There are strong performances elsewhere." (Gramophone)
"Pappano conducts with an intriguing blend of vigour and perfume, and the orchestra and chorus are excellent. SeokJohn Baek makes a house and role debut as Samson and is exciting. Elina Garanča is a seductive Dalila… They spark well off each other. The remaining cast is solid." (Opera Now ★★★)
"Dalia, Elina Garanča, is the magnetic center of the performance, magnificently costumed and staged as a sensual primordial power, which everyone stands powerless against." (Klassik (Quarterly) ★★★★★)
