Roberto Alagna

Roberto Alagna

SAMSON ET DALILA - Saint Saens - Vienne

Opera

 
Samson and Delilah (French: Samson et Dalila), Op. 47, is a grand opera in three acts and four scenes by Camille Saint-Saëns to a French libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire.
It was first performed in Weimar at the Grossherzogliches (Grand Ducal)
Theater (now the Staatskapelle Weimar)
on 2 December 1877 in a German translation.
 
 
 

Performances

Wiener Staats Oper

12 may 2018 * Live in Radio

15 may 2018

18 may 2018 ** Live Streaming

21 may 2018

25 may 2018

28 may 2018

 

Cast

 

Dalila : Elīna Garanča
Samson : Roberto Alagna
Oberpriester des Dagon : Carlos Álvarez
Abimélech : Sorin Coliban 


Director : Alexandra Liedtke
Set Designer : Raimund Orfeo Voigt
Costumes : Su Bühler
Choreographie :  Lukas Gaudernak

 

Conductor : Marco Armiliato

Orchestra, chorus and Ballet of Wienerstaatsoper

 

New Production

 

Press Review

KURIER.at - Peter Jarolin - 16/05/2018

“The opera world simply needs a tenor like Alagna” 

 
EXCERPT: “There was unanimous (and justified) jubilation for the musical part. Because with Elina Garanča (Dalila), Roberto Alagna (Samson) and Carlos Álvarez (high priest) - what more can come after the opening run? – Here you have a strong opera triumvirate available. Roberto Alagna is a vocally powerful Samson with good top notes and a wonderful theatricality. The opera world simply needs a tenor like Alagna."
 

Klassiker.welt.de - Manuel Brug  16/05/2018

A multi-faceted characterization of the unusual character

 

EXCERPT: "This Viennese premiere of Samson was an event first by the debut of the couple of protagonists as the title roles. Roberto Alagna is the first French tenor, certainly not since biblical times but at least for a very long time, to embody Samson. He is not a rough colossus, but a character with vocally velvety and bright medium, sincerely torn and struggling with his God. He is capable of virile Forte, he has as well the required stentor tones, but he also knows how to reveal his vulnerability and weakness. An internalized character, almost involuntarily constrained to his leader role, passionate but also reserved. An uncommon multi-faceted characterization of the character. "
 

Die Presse - Wilhelm Sinkovicz - 16/05/2018

« The opening performance was a glorious moment. Roberto Alagna shines, with plenty of strength and charisma »  

 
EXCERPT : " Samson is a true heroes' match, requiring strength and charisma ̵ Roberto Alagna has plenty of both. He has sung the Calaf in Puccini's "Turandot" impressively at Haus am Ring this year and interpreted Verdi's Otello in an unrivaled way at the moment. Now, with rhetorical force, he rouses the plaintive chorus of the captive Israelites in the first act, ignited, energetically driven forward by the orchestra under Marco Armiliato, revolutionary upbeat mood. [...]
 
The encounter with the beautiful Dalila has already undermined the sense of Samson's mission, but not the stentor power of his tenor vocality. That Alagna manages to keep, alongside a seductress who really uses every means to weaken the hero and the audience of the Staatsoper. [...]
 
The soberly arranged staging becomes in itself an object of derision - which commands somewhat more admiration for the performance of the singers: to convince in such a context, only the best and the brightest of the performers can succeed, proving once again that, at the opera, the top quality of the musical performance is first and foremost important. The opening performance was a glorious moment. "
 

Bachtrack - Mark Pullinger - May 2018 

« Roberto Alagna in heroic voice » 

 
EXCERPT: « A splendid pair of role debuts by Roberto Alagna and Elina Garanca. Roberto Alagna was in heroic voice as Samson. He has been singing Otello and Calaf recently and his tenor now fits this repertoire admirably. He is an honest singer, and this was a whole-hearted performance, recovering from a few nervy moments early on. Samson's Act 3 prayer was touchingly sincere. »
 

Opera explorers.com 

“Vocally in top form, a passionate, dramatically engaging and convincing performance … impressive role debut!” 

 

EXCERPT: “Roberto was in top form, roles of the heroic type he is currently singing – after Calaf and Otello, suit him perfectly well. My rediscovery of Alagna’s fearless delivery and full commitment to drama happened through La Juive in Munich two years ago, and it was strengthened this season with his convincing roles in the double bill of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci at The Met.

Vocally impeccable, passionate, dramatically engaging and convincing performance regardless of directorial shortcomings. Admirable stage chemistry with Elīna, and very moving gesture of appreciation at the curtain call.

Impressive role debut, providing more space for future discoveries! Looking into Alagna’s calendar, there are several new surprises in the making – namely Lohengrin at Bayreuth this summer and Andrea Chenier next season.“

 

 

Merker Online - Renate Wagneror 

"Convincing, forceful, sumptuous ... impressive vocal and dramatic commitment" 

 
EXCERPT: „From the powerful "leader" of his people in the first act, who struggles so powerfully and despite all that dark, to the man blinded, dishonored and debased in his humanity, of the final scene, Roberto Alagna has been convincing in every nuance from start to end. That Samson is a powerful man, he sang it - urgently, forcefully, sumptuously, pugnaciously, without ever bending. Always fully invested, not necessarily conformist, but impressive by the degree of his wide-ranging vocal and dramatic commitment.”
 
 
 

Platea Magazine - Alejandro Martinez - may 2018

"The last lyrical tenor 'as it should be' in last decades. An ideal Samson in every way "

 
EXCERPT (from Spanish): "It was certainly one of the opratic events of the year, with the two roles debuts of Roberto Alagna and Elina Garanca in the title roles of Samson and Dalila by Camille Saint-Saëns, in a new production of the work at the Wiener Staatsoper. Exhibiting a great voice, easy and luminous, with an authentic metal, Roberto Alagna has signed an extraordinary premiere, confirming that he is perhaps the last great lyrical tenor "comme il faut" [edit: as it should be, in French in the Spanish text] in last decades. After having successfully performed, in Vienna precisely, Otello by Verdi and then some performances of Turandot as Calaf, French tenor has thus added a new role to an ever wider repertoire; and this also as part of a great season culminating with his debut in Bayreuth, featuring in Lohengrin's new production none other than his first Wagner.
 
Alagna certainly experiences a moment of sweet maturity that can only be celebrated. His performance of Samson's role is certainly closer to a reference such as Georges Thill than to the most popular performances of Jon Vickers and Plácido Domingo. As he demonstrated with his Eleazar in La Juive in Munich last season, no one sings in French today like Alagna. Obvious as it may seem, he is so successful in handling lyrical prosody in his native tongue that he doesn’t cease to amaze with his so well-rounded stylistic adaptation. The role barely gives him a pair of climbs to the high range, which ends in a brilliant B flat. In short, Alagna signs an ideal Samson in every way."
 

L'Ape Musicale - Francesco Lora

« Gorgeous debut by Roberto Alagna. The most talented, convincing and reliable Samson today »

 
EXCERPT: “Gorgeous debuts: while he is nearly fifty-five, the vocal and singing material of French-Italian tenor has plenty of brightness, increased resonance, easy modulation, constant homogeneity, a very clear diction, an emphasis of flavoured accent recalling the most popular French declamatory tradition, a tone of such romantic charm to be ashamed of having already complimented that of others; all this combined with the enthusiasm of the actor, so that from the first aria, you are sure to be in front of the most talented, convincing and reliable performer available today for the major score of Samson”

 

 Operawire - Jonathan Sutherland

« The Star of the Night. A rock-solid technique, riveting trumpeted top notes. The stature of one of today’s most important singers“ 

 
EXCERPT: « Top billing in “Samson et Dalila” goes to the tenor. Roberto Alagna's light, crisp, forward-placed tone had much to commend it. […] There was a real ping in the upper register with some absolutely clarion top notes. The opening A flat fermata on “dieu d’Israël” immediately testified to a rock-solid technique and subsequent legato passages, such as “Seigneur, inspire-moi” were beautifully phrased. Although the vocal line is peppered with lots of high G naturals, the exposed top B flats such as “Lève toi!,” “Je t’aime” and a trumpeted “Trahison!” were riveting. The final B flat on “en les écrasant en ce lieu!” would have brought the house down if it hadn’t already been detonated with explosives. […] This was a performance in which Roberto Alagna re-affirmed his stature as one of today’s most important singers. »
 

Merker Online - Ernst Kopica

"Musically captivating, theatrically impressive, Roberto Alagna obviously in the shape of his life" 

 
EXCERPT: "[...] Why do you need a double to Samson? It is almost an insult to the abilities of Alagna, who, by the way, delivers an impressive portrait of Samson, blinded and deprived of his powers. But enough of that, let's turn instead to the musical side, and there is almost nothing to complain about. Roberto Alagna is obviously in the shape of his life. He wants to bring the Hebrews to victory with power and enthusiasm, his love for Dalila pursues him step by step. The brilliance in his voice may not always be to everyone's liking, but he captivates here with such bravery that fully justifies the final ovation that his performance wins. "
 
 

Opera Magazine - Mehdi Mahdavi - juin 2018

"Unmatchable diction, unwavering vocal projection, inexhaustible top range ... vocally, a golden age resurrected and an emotion that is his alone" 

 
EXCERPT: "His first Samson. Her first Dalila. Four months ahead of the Met. The tenor's diction is an unreachable model, the naturalness of which can not be acquired. Vocally, the couple together revives a certain golden age. Unwavering vocal projection, inexhaustible top range, Roberto Alagna lends Samson a luminous heroism, even juvenile, when he is not almost candid, revealing the doubt, the vulnerabilities of the stentor. And then, this vocal line, simmering to boiling, that he leads with a sincerity which conveys an emotion that is his alone! "
 
 

Opera News Magazine - A.J. Goldmann - May 2018

“A spellbinging blend of naked vocal force and lyrical vulnerability, thrillingly ringing high notes, a natural fit” 

 
EXCERPT: “This Samson was blessed with the luxurious pairing of Roberto Alagna and Elina Garanca as the ill-fated biblical couple. Unsurprisingly, all six scheduled performances were sold out. […] Samson seemed a natural fit [for Roberto Alagna]. His performance was beautifully calculated, with a spellbinding blend of naked vocal force and lyrical vulnerability. His high notes rang out thrillingly, but he also sang with fragile urgency when imploring either Dalila for her love or God for forgiveness and strength.”
 
 

And After

 

« Passionnate, sensual, sincere, completely convincing Samson, Roberto Alagna throws himself in the role with metal high tones, strength energy, without ever sparing himself up to the final scene"

►"At the first solo curtain call (at the reopening of the curtain), Roberto Alagna receives the strongest applause, a spontaneous "appreciation" that corresponds very well to the running of the performance. Alagna was much less "victim of the staging" than Elina Garanca, but he was obviously more authentic on the set in the role of the still young-hearted "idealist" […] who throws himself into the role with strength energy and metal high tones [...]. (Dominik Troger, Operinwien)

 

►"In Roberto Alagna, [Elina Garanca's Dalila] finds a passionate and sensual partner [...] torn between duty and desire, between his love and his divine mission to free the enslaved Hebrews. (Karlheinz Roschitz, Kronen Zeitung)

 

►"In the role of Samson, Roberto Alagna embodies the tenoral Hercules, conducts his voice full thrust and power, up to the final scene without ever sparing himself " (Stefan Musil, Bühne)

 

► "Roberto Alagna celebrated a great evening and as Samson completely convinced. Very urgent is the despair to choose between the commandment of God and love. Enthusiastic simply the intensity that Alagna was here to offer. Much applause and bravos for the singers." (Infoglitz - Nachrichten.at)

 

 

 

Gallery 

 



15/05/2018