Softly awakes my cold, cold heart: Samson et Dalila

Elīna Garanča (Dalila) and Roberto Alagna (Samson)

Samson et Dalila

Elīna Garanča (Dalila) and Roberto Alagna (Samson)

Carlos Álvarez (High Priest of Dagon) and Sorin Coliban (Abimélech)

By Mark Pullinger, 13 May 2018

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“explosive fireballs... a striking effect, but too late to ignite Liedtke's tame production”

Reviewed at Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna on 12 May 2018

Saint-Saëns, Samson et Dalila

Vienna State Opera

Marco Armiliato, Conductor

Alexandra Liedtke, Director

Raimund Orfeo Voigt, Set Designer

Su Bühler, Costume Designer

Elīna Garanča, Dalila

Roberto Alagna, Samson

Sorin Coliban, Abimélech

Carlos Álvarez, High Priest of Dagon

Concert Association Vienna State Opera Chorus

Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera

Lukas Gaudernak, Choreography

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Softly awakes my cold, cold heart: a tepid Samson et Dalila in Vienna