Saint-Saëns’ masterpiece returns to Monaco after a 40-year
absence, in a production by Jean-Louis Grinda. Starring in the lead roles are Aleksandrs
Antonenko and Anita Rachvelishvili, accompanied by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic
Orchestra conducted by Kazuki Yamada, the Monte-Carlo Opera Chorus and the
Shanghai Opera House Dance Ensemble.Thursday 22 November, at 8 pm and Sunday 25 November, at 3 pm, Grimaldi Forum Monaco
A blend of musical traditions
“Samson and Delilah” is the work of an
experienced composer, composing during a
time which was passionate about all things exotic, open to the richness of
travel through time and through different countries. This opera is therefore a
fusion of a wide variety of musical traditions. Some lines are directly
inspired by plainsong (cantus planus), also known as Gregorian chant, named
after Pope Gregory, who enshrined as the official music of Christianity this a
cappella style consisting of a single line sung by choirs of Christian monks
since the fifth century. Also found here is the baroque music of Bach and
Handel through the choice of theme and the wealth of harmonies. The subtlety of
the rhythm and the work on colour is reminiscent of Delibes and Bizet, who were
contemporaries of Saint- Saëns. The detail of the orchestral combinations, when
they blend woodwind and brass or strings and wind, prefigures the detailed work
and orchestral revolution which Debussy and Ravel would accomplish. Finally,
Saint- Saëns’ melodies have the sensuality of the Italians and the orientalisms
inspired by a stay in Algiers, during which the third act was composed.
One of the most exquisite duos ever
“Softly awakes my heart” is the central aria in “Samson
and Delilah” and one of the most popular in the lyrical repertoire. This aria
is the dramatic core of the opera: Delilah is using it to seduce Samson, who
admits both his love for her and the secret of his strength. It is poignant due
to the feelings expressed, but also because it heralds the fatal destiny:
Delilah, who wanted to seduce Samson to bring him down, is hoisted by her own
petard by truly believing in his false promises. Delilah’s melody begins with a
gentle confession before her request to Samson: “Respond to my caress”, at
which the harp comes in. The melody is strophic in form (the same music
accompanies different words, like verses). The music uses every resource of an
orchestra comprising strings and woodwind (there is no percussion or brass,
with the exception of a very soft horn and a kettledrum roll, triple piano).
The orchestra is a wave which alternates between deep and high-pitched in a
long crescendo that begins pianissimo with pizzicato strings (gently plucked
with the fingers rather than played with the bow) and ends on an expressive and
incarnate forte. This aria is just like the opera: a skilful fusion of
different musical styles. The accompaniment begins in a very classical fashion
with its perfect harmonies (the most consonant harmonies in Western music, made
up of a third and fifth, such as doh-mi-soh, for example. The vocal part is
extremely soft with its compound movement (the notes follow on from each other
according to the scale, such as la-ti-doh for example). The traditional
harmonies then change, bit by bit, with
subtle alterations (flat notes, sharp notes, natural notes) picked out here and
there. The modification of Western harmonies transforms the melody into an
Arabic melisma (very recognisable by its descending fifths and ascending
seconds). As the aria concludes, it is the Western grand opera tradition that
reasserts itself, with the powerful high notes of the soprano on the line “Fill
me with ecstasy”, which then drop back down through the full mezzo range,
representing the ecstasy laid bare. Samson responds to her, on a very sharp B
flat: “I love you!” as the orchestra seems to almost disappear.
The choir as a character
The choir does not simply punctuate the
interventions of the main characters, as can be the case in many operas.
Notably, in this era, choirs and ballets were artificially added to foreign
operas staged in Paris in order to adapt them to the model of the French-style
Grand Opéra. The exact opposite is true in Saint- Saëns’ opera, where the
choirs have a key role, in both the story and the music. They are brought to
the fore, they sing alone, occupy more or less the majority of the first and
third acts, their words form a critical part of the story rather than simply
repeating the heroes’ lyrics, and finally the writing is elaborate, flowing and
powerful. By turns, the choir plays the role of the desperate Hebrews finally
convinced by Samson to rebel and then, in the third act, the depraved
Philistines who end up crushed beneath the ruins of the temple. The contrast
between the choir of Hebrews pleading on bended knee before the God of Israel
with a melancholy lament on violin and flute at the beginning of the opera, and
the final choir of Philistines who abuse Samson, blending sensual melismas and
ringing percussion, could not be more powerful.