Samson et Dalila (Full Score, hardback)

Saint-Saëns Samson et Dalila (Full Score, hardback)

Samson et Dalila is now the sole opera by Saint-Saëns on which his reputation as an operatic composer is based.  One of the aims right from the start of this project was to counter this much lamented general limitation in publishing terms, and to place the work in its creative context.  But even this major work had to overcome some major obstacles before its position in the repertoire was established: when the first act was performed in a concert version in 1875 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris (as part of the “Concerts nationaux”), the reception was extremely cool.  Without the support of Franz Liszt, who premiered the work on 2 December 1877 in Weimar (in German, and with triumphant success), it had not yet embarked on its global triumphal progress, and would, like Saint-Saëns’ twelve other operas, have disappeared from the stage. But performances followed in Brussels (1878, concert performance, French language premiere), in Rouen and at the Théâtre-Lyrique de l’Eden in Paris.  Only on 23 November 1892 did the first performance take place in the Salle Garnier, which ultimately marked the beginning of its great and continuing success.  This is the version which is published in the main part of the edition.  For this, the numerous sources from the performances in Weimar and Paris have been evaluated for the first time.

The new edition makes it possible to both perform and study Samson et Dalila for the first time with material which reflects modern conventions, but also to gain new insights into the history of the work

- Urtext edition from the series L'Opéra français

- Facsimile pages of the "Livret de mise-en-scène" from the first Parisian production

- Introduction (Fr/Ger/Eng) & Critical Report (Eng)

- Includes "Air de Ballet" in an Appendix

- Performance material available for hire BA8710-72

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