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The little company that could is at it again, presenting the kind of opera that even the big companies do only once every 10 years. Saint-Saëns’ “Samson et Dalila” is the kind of lesser known treasure that makes a great addition to any aficionado’s list. Although West Bay Opera’s production suffers a few dips in energy, it features some excellent voices that fully reveal the score’s innovative musicality and achieves an agreeably adrenalizing climax.
An immediate difference comes in the first act, which features so much ensemble music you might think you’ve entered a choral performance. The Hebrews, firmly under the thumb of their Philistine oppressors, lament their haggard conditions in a handful of numbers, and even offer a fugue — an operatic rarity — in “Nous avons vu nos cités renversées.” Bruce Olstad’s chorus handles the material adeptly, and it’s a real treat for those who enjoy choral music.
The Hebrew leader is their warrior, Samson (he who once slaughtered a thousand enemies using the jaw of an ass), who is indulging in a bit of rabble-rousing, looking for a bit of good trouble to help his people. He is met with a perfect opening when the Philistine leader Abimelech (baritone Casey Germain) attacks him with a sword. Samson wrests the weapon away and slays the poor schmuck, which inspires the Hebrews to rise up against their overlords.
Just like that, the Hebrews are celebrating their victory, but the Philistine high priest (bass-baritone Kellen Schrimper) has a Plan B, in the (luscious) form of Dalila. The professional seductress makes a grand entrance, immediately drawing the attentions of Samson. This leads to an intriguing trio with an old Hebrew (Casey Germain again!) who gives plentiful warnings to his warrior friend.
Schrimper gives a solid lower-toned authority to our villain, without going over the top (just doing his job, really). Mezzo Kim Stanish’s default expression is bemusement, which suits Dalila well. Her performances of the two well-known arias, “Amour! Viens aider ma faiblesse” and the show-stopper “Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix,” accentuate her truly lush lower tones, a trait that is sorely underestimated in the world of High C’s.
Tenor John Kun Park brings a powerful voice and an energetic physicality to the role of Samson. His most moving moments came in the third act, after his dalliance with Dalila has condemned him to blindness and prison (something about hair?). You can really feel his despair, having lost his strength and failed his people with one wrong move.
The only drawback came in Act II, when the two met at Dalila’s mountain retreat. Although the singing was beautiful, the chemistry just wasn’t there. Even a little more physical closeness would help. This opera works at its best when there’s a bit of actual affection between the two; it makes the subsequent betrayal that much deeper. As it is, the final move to lovemaking seems a little sudden and jarring.
Fortunately, the Act III buildup to the destruction of the temple is utterly satisfying and dramatic, in terms both theatrical and musical. It’s notable that the opera has one of the quickest endings ever. The temple comes down and bam! Curtain.
Conductor Jose Luis Moscovich and his orchestra handled the score with aplomb, notably in the strings, bringing out all of the inventiveness that initially brought Saint-Saëns some harsh critiques (including comparisons to Meyerbeer, who was the popular whipping boy of the day for his over-the-top creations). I especially enjoyed the music of the Philistines, where strong percussion and the use of tambourines, triangles and bells was used to illustrate a certain barbarism. This pagan bent was also brought out by a captivating trio of dancers choreographed by Daiane Lopes da Silva: Aikaterini Bousleli, Lydia Lathan and Tai Lum. Meant to illustrate an evil lasciviousness, the dances instead forged a sublime fusion of sexuality and artistic beauty. (Sadly, the Philistines were absorbed into the Babylonian culture and aren’t around to defend themselves. We have since turned their very name into an insult.)
I always enjoy the projections of Peter Crompton and Frederic O. Boulay. The images of primitive sculptures used in various scenes were roughly gorgeous. I longed for a temple destruction that perhaps featured a few fragments falling from the flies, but it could be I’m asking too much. Kudos to child actor Hayden Alexander Beattie, who did an excellent job of leading the blind Samson around the temple. The prosthetic used to feign Samson’s blinded eyes didn’t quite work; from the audience, it resembled a pair of rose-colored glasses. The action of the opera takes place in Gaza, 1150 BC, which certainly creates a few modern-day echoes.
West Bay Opera presents “Samson et Dalila,” Oct. 18, 7 p.m. and Oct. 19, 2 p.m., Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto; $54-$140; 650-424-9999, wbopera.org.
