DVD + Blu-Ray:
Samson et Dalila at the Royal Opera House 2022

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.

"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 ★★★★)

"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 ★★★)

English title Samson and Delilah
Original title Samson et Dalila
Genre Opera
Recording location The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Production year 2022
Duration 133 mins
Stage Director Richard Jones
TV Director Peter Jones
Composer Camille Saint-Saëns
Orchestra / Band The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Choir Royal Opera Chorus
Conductor Antonio Pappano
Costumes Nicky Gillibrand
Soloist SeoJong Baek
Soloist Elīna Garanča
Soloist Łukasz Goliński
Soloist Alan Pingarrón