Blanche Thebom; Ramon Vinay; "SAMSON ET DALILA;" Camille Saint-Saëns

Blanche Thebom---Dalila
Ramon Vinay---Samson
Giuseppe Taddei---Le Grand Prêtre de Dagon
Sir Thomas Beecham---conductor
Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires
1958
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Act I
In the city of Gaza (circa 1150 B.C.), the enslaved Hebrews pray to God for deliverance from their Philistine masters. Samson, a man of immense strength and a leader among his people, inspires the Hebrews to rise up against their oppressors, urging them to have faith in God.
Abimélech, the Philistine governor, scoffs at their prayers, but Samson kills him in the ensuing fight, and the Hebrews successfully revolt and flee. The High Priest of Dagon curses Samson and the Hebrew people, swearing vengeance. As the Hebrews celebrate their freedom, the beautiful Philistine woman Dalila and her maidens emerge from the temple, performing a seductive dance. Dalila invites Samson to her home, determined to seduce him and discover the source of his strength for her people's revenge. An elderly Hebrew man warns Samson against the temptress, but Samson, captivated, ignores the warning.
Act II
Dalila waits for Samson in her tent in the Valley of Sorek, confident he will come to her. The High Priest of Dagon arrives and offers her gold for her help in capturing Samson. Dalila refuses the money, stating her sole motivation is a passionate desire for revenge against Samson and the Hebrews.
When Samson arrives, he struggles with his devotion to his people and his powerful lust for Dalila. He eventually succumbs to her charms and, weakened by his love, reveals his secret: his strength comes from his long hair. As soon as he falls asleep in her arms, Dalila cuts his hair, calls waiting Philistine soldiers, who then arrest Samson, put out his eyes, and lead him away in chains.
Act III
Scene 1: Now blind, shorn, and shackled, Samson is in a dungeon, pushing a large mill wheel. He prays to God for forgiveness for his weakness and begs for the liberation of his people, whose voices he hears lamenting his actions.
Scene 2: In the Temple of Dagon, the Philistines celebrate their victory with a bacchanal (the opera's most famous instrumental piece). Dalila and the High Priest mock the blind Samson, who is led in by a child. After enduring their taunts, Samson asks the child to guide him to the two main pillars of the temple. Once there, Samson prays for his strength to return one last time. His prayer is granted, and with a mighty effort, he pulls the pillars down, collapsing the temple and crushing himself, Dalila, the High Priest, and all the Philistine revelers.