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Samson et Dalila
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, November 26, 1949 Matinee Broadcast
Broadcast Matinee Broadcast
Debut : Muriel Ives, Natalie Kelepovska, Willard Leroux
Samson et Dalila (72)
Camille Saint-Sa?ns | Ferdinand Lemaire
- Samson
- Ramon Vinay
- Dalila
- Ris? Stevens
- High Priest
- Robert Merrill
- Abim?lech
- Osie Hawkins
- Old Hebrew
- Dezs? Ernster
- Philistine
- Leslie Chabay
- Philistine
- Clifford Harvuot
- Messenger
- Emery Darcy
- Dance
- Marina Svetlova
- Dance
- Audrey Keane
- Dance
- Tilda Morse
- Dance
- Peggy Smithers
- Dance
- Muriel Ives [Debut]
- Dance
- Natalie Kelepovska [Debut]
- Dance
- Leon Varkas
- Dance
- Alfred Corvino
- Dance
- Willard Leroux [Debut]
- Conductor
- Emil Cooper
- Director
- D?sir? Defr?re
- Set Designer
- Koeck-Meyer Studios
- Costume Designer
- Irene Sharaff
- Choreographer
- Boris Romanoff
Samson et Dalila received ten performances this season.
Irene Sharaff designed costumes only for the ballet. Ris? Stevens' costumes were designed by Motley.
Rebroadcast on Sirius Metropolitan Opera Radio
Review 1:
Irving Kolodin in the Sun
“Samson” Revived
Mere managerial miasma was at work in the matinee “Samson,” particularly in the haut couteur affected by Rise Stevens as Dalila. One had not previously realized that the art of dressmaking had progressed to flowing net skirts, spangled scarves and self-supporting bras in 1500 B. C. Obviously other members of the cast (including the High Priest) had not been able to patronize so tony a designer as Miss Stevens’s Motley. Her glitter amid the scenic poverty was a little more than tolerance could bear.
There was a good deal to admire in her management of the vocal lines, but sumptuousness of tone or abandon of style were lacking. Miss Stevens, one might say, lay bare her midriff more easily than her soul. Otherwise, there was the physically imposing Samson of Ramon Vinay, a little strangulated in sound, the finely resonant High Priest of Robert Merrill, and the good Abimelech of Deszo Ernster. Saint-Saens’s static score has resisted the efforts of better singers than these, though Emil Cooper’s conducting offered some unexpected subtleties. Until such time, however, as the management knows in advance what the audience is going to see, the audience can hardly be surprised by what it sees. Desire Defrere could be credited with some excellent groupings as stage director of “Samson” however.
Search by season: 1949-50
Search by title: Samson et Dalila,
Met careers
- Emil Cooper [Conductor]
- Ramon Vinay [Samson]
- Ris? Stevens [Dalila]
- Robert Merrill [High Priest]
- Osie Hawkins [Abim?lech]
- Dezs? Ernster [Old Hebrew]
- Leslie Chabay [Philistine]
- Clifford Harvuot [Philistine]
- Emery Darcy [Messenger]
- Marina Svetlova [Dance]
- Audrey Keane [Dance]
- Tilda Morse [Dance]
- Peggy Smithers [Dance]
- Muriel Ives [Dance]
- Natalie Kelepovska [Dance]
- Leon Varkas [Dance]
- Alfred Corvino [Dance]
- Willard Leroux [Dance]
- D?sir? Defr?re [Director]
- Boris Romanoff [Choreographer]
- Koeck-Meyer Studios [Set Designer]
- Irene Sharaff [Costume Designer]