At the Royal Opera House, Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila returns in Richard Jones’ striking revival with a production that feels both visually audacious and musically sumptuous. Conducted with sensitivity and sweep by Alexander Soddy, this is an evening that reminds audiences why the opera, for all its occasional dramatic unevenness, still exerts such enduring allure.
The undeniable triumph of this revival lies in its central pairing. As Samson, SeokJong Baek brings a voice of remarkable warmth and power, combining heroic intensity with moments of touching vulnerability. His phrasing possesses both muscularity and lyricism, and his upper register gleams effortlessly across the vast Covent Garden auditorium. Opposite him, Aigul Akhmetshina delivers a mesmerising Dalila, seductive without caricature and vocally radiant throughout. Her interpretation balances smouldering sensuality with emotional intelligence, particularly in the celebrated “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix”, which unfolds with intoxicating richness and velvet-toned control. Together, the two singers create an electric dramatic chemistry that gives the production its emotional pulse.
Jones’ production remains visually memorable, presenting the biblical conflict through a sharply contemporary lens. Hyemi Shin’s revolving set creates a succession of bold stage pictures, while Nicky Gillibrand’s costumes cleverly distinguish the austere Israelites from the garishly materialistic Philistines. There is wit here, but also menace, with moments of unsettling theatricality offset by flashes of dark humour. The famous Bacchanale is staged with exuberant energy, combining choreography, chorus and orchestra into a scene of almost hypnotic excess.
Musically, the evening is richly rewarding. The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House plays with remarkable polish under Soddy’s direction, bringing both sensuality and grandeur to Saint-Saëns’ luminous score. The winds are particularly beautiful, while the chorus sings with impressive weight and clarity, moving seamlessly between moments of hushed devotion and thrilling dramatic force.
What ultimately makes this Samson et Dalila so compelling is its balance of spectacle and intimacy. Beneath the vivid staging and biblical grandeur lies a deeply human story of desire, betrayal and vulnerability. In the hands of Baek and Akhmetshina especially, the opera transcends its occasional longueurs to become genuinely moving. At Covent Garden, this revival emerges not merely as a visual event, but as a richly atmospheric and vocally magnificent evening of opera.
Until 3 June at Royal Opera House, Bow Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DD
