Samson & Delilah

In May 2009 Preston Opera presented the opera Samson and Delilah by Camille Saint Saens. The musical director was  Chris Gill and the producer Geoff Horton.  The show was presented in a semi-staged version in St. John's Minster Preston. This setting was ideal for this opera which was initially conceived as an oratorio. The principal parts were taken by Rebecca Chellappah as Delilah, Bruce McLaren as Samson, Barrie Wright as the High Priest of Dagon and David Palmer as Abimelech. Keith Cawdon took the part of the Ancient Hebrew and  Ben Mayo the Philistine Messenger.  George Jones and Geoff Hitchen were Philistines and Marie'Louise Lane, Catherine Lindsay, Helen Gregory and Jane Mulderrig were Handmaidens.

 

Opening chorus

 

Samson confronts Abimelech

 

High Priest sees that Samson has killed Abimelech

 

Chorus of Hebrews

 

Delilah's handmaidens

 

 

The ancient Hebrew tells Samson to beware of Delilah's charms

 

Dancers from the Amanda Rogers School

 

 

 

Delilah at the start of Act II

 

The High Priest orders Delilah to find out the source of his strength

 

She agrees to his strategy

Samson is about to face his downfall

He finds her charms irresistable

"Softly Awakes My Heart"

Samson is brought from prison to be mocked by the philistines

Delilah reveals her true self

The dancing girls

The climax as Samson pulls down the Temple

"Curtain" call