Saint-Saëns - Samson et Dalila / Gorr · Vickers · Blanc · Corazza · Prêtre [Original recording remastered]

Camille Saint-Saëns (Artist), Georges Prêtre (Artist), Rita Gorr (Artist), Jon Vickers (Artist), Ernest Blanc (Artist), Remy Corazza (Artist), Anton Diakov (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 11, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B00005NW0A
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #205,789 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1.: Introduction - Orch Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Georges Pretre

2. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1. Scene 1.: 'Dieu ! Dieu d'Israël ! écoute la prière de tes enfants' - Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

3. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1. Scene 1.: 'Quoi ! veux-tu donc qu'a jamais on efface' - Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

4. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1. Scene 1.: 'Arrêtez, ô mes frères !' - Jon Vickers/Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

5. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1. Scene 1.: 'Implorons à genoux le Seigneur qui nous aime !' - Jon Vickers/Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

6. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1. Scene 2.: 'Qui donc élève ici la voix ?' - Anton Diakov

7. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1. Scene 2.: 'C'est toi que sa bouche invective' - Jon Vickers/Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos/Anton Diakov

8. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1. Scene 2.: 'Israël ! romps ta chaîne !' - Jon Vickers/Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

9. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1. Scene 3.: 'Que vois-je ! Abimelech ! frappé par des escalves !' - Ernest Blanc/Jacques Potier/Jean-Pierre Hurteau

10. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 1. Scene 4.: 'Seigneur ! la troupe furieuse... Maudite à jamais soit la race' - Remy Corazza/Jacques Potier/Jean-Pierre Hurteau/Ernest Blanc

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2.: Prelude - Orch Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Georges Pretre

2. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2. Scene 1.: 'Samson, recherchant ma présence...' - Rita Gorr

3. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2. Scene 2.: 'J'ai gravi la montage' - Orch Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Georges Pretre

4. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2. Scene 2.: 'À tes genoux sa force un jour l'abondonna' - Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

5. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2. Scene 2.: 'Mais sur son coeur déjà n'aurais-tu pas en vain' - Orch Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Georges Pretre

6. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2. Scene 2.: 'Il faut, pour assouvir ma haine' - Ernest Blanc/Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

7. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2. Scene 2.: 'Samson, me disais-tu, dans ces lieux doit se rendre ?...' - Jon Vickers/Rita Gorr

8. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2. Scene 3.: 'En ces lieux, malgré moi, m'ont ramené mes pas' - Ernest Blanc/Jon Vickers/Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

9. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2. Scene 3.: 'C'est toi ! C'est toi, mon bien-aimé !' - Ernest Blanc/Rita Gorr/Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

10. Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47: Act 2. Scene 3.: 'D'Israël renaît l'espérance' - Ernest Blanc/Rita Gorr/Chor Rene Duclos/Rene Duclos

See all 27 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A top-choice recommendation, April 28, 2002

By 

Joseph Triebwasser "tl67" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Saint-Saëns - Samson et Dalila / Gorr · Vickers · Blanc · Corazza · Prêtre (Audio CD)

There will always be listeners who find this, Saint-Saens' most famous opera, to be either kitsch, closer to Cecil De Mille than to the Biblical Book of Judges, or overly static, more oratorio than opera. But for other listeners the craft, pacing and the melodiousness of the work more than compensate. And what roles for the two lead singers! Which brings us to the attractions of this recording - conducted with no great distinction by George Pretre - the performances of Jon Vickers as Samson and Rita Gorr as Dalila, two star turns if there ever were any. Vickers, in his youthful splendor, delivers an inimitable performance, with all the heroism, passion and anguish that were uniquely his to command. The vocal prowess and, especially, the expressive depth he brings to the role make one feel for minutes at a time (and against one's better judgment) that Saint-Saens succeeded in creating true epic tragedy of the highest order. Rita Gorr, she of the prodigious voice that sometimes spun wildly off pitch, is in perfect control of her instrument - and her art - in this classic performance. Seductive, powerful, beautiful of timbre in the lower-lying passages, ringing and secure in her sometimes unwieldy upper register, she provides Vickers with a worthy adversary.
A must for fans of Saint-Saens and of great singing.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very highly recommended, November 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Saint-Saëns - Samson et Dalila / Gorr · Vickers · Blanc · Corazza · Prêtre (Audio CD)

I approached this recording with some trepidation because it is rated 2 stars by Penguin guide. After listening to it, I can say that the 2 stars is a ridiculous rating. This is too good for 2 stars. No one disputes the fact that it enshrines 2 classic performances - Vicker's incomparable Samson, a role he sang from the beginning of his career till his retirement in the late 1980s, and Gorr's sensuous Delila. Vicker's singing is rich, full, beautiful and he is totally in his character. Gorr's tone is voluptuous and beautiful. To quote the Gramophone magazine "Pretre ... is lively and histrionic ... and secures good performances from his choir and orchestra." Yes, the sound is full and sumptuous and the performance is great. Is it worthy of the tag "Great Recording of the Century"? YES!! Especially with Vickers and Gorr around, this is a great performance to be cherished. Don't miss the incandescent performance from Jon Vickers and Rita Gorr.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real triumph, October 29, 2008

By 

Abel "AMY" (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saint-Saëns - Samson et Dalila / Gorr · Vickers · Blanc · Corazza · Prêtre (Audio CD)

The opera about the Biblical tragic hero Samson and his seduction by Delilah is best portrayed by the heroic tenor Jon Vickers, one of the best Siegmunds ever to grace operatic stage, and Rita Gorr, a mezzo-soprano who as lately as last year was still around performing.
Vickers sung a most affecting and tragic Samson, heroic in the earlier Acts and devastatingly tragic from Act 2 Scene 3 onwards.
Rita Gorr has a rich and velvety mezzo-soprano voice that is seductive as well as powerful, both elements being vital for the role of Dalila. While the later recording by Olga Borodina boasts of an equally beautiful mezzo voice, in terms of power she still has some length to go compared with Rita Gorr's.
The choir and the orchestra gave very splendid performances here. Much credit goes to conductor Georges Pretre. Certainly, Ernest Blanc as Le Grande Pretre du Dagon is another reason for getting this indispensable CD.