Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila

In Saint- Saëns’ saga of hatred and holy war, power and desire, there is no victor and no truth. The god-like is diminished, power restricted, taboos broken, love betrayed. The story of Samson is contradictory and human, overwhelming in its scale, violence, and pathos. Once a struggle for the composer to have performed, the work has become a cornerstone of the performance repertoire and a showpiece for many great singers. Argentinean tenor José Cura is one such singer, whose deep affinity for the work is revealed in his roles as hero, director, and stage designer.