Experience Virginia Opera’s Samson and Delilah Saturday, October 7, 2017 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, October 8, 2017 at 2 p.m.
Adam Turner is the Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor for Virginia Opera, the company presenting the epic French opera Samson and Delilah. This opera by Camille Saint-Saëns dramatizes the well-known Biblical story of a legendary Israelite warrior who is seduced and then betrayed by a Philistine woman. We have asked Adam to give his thoughts on moments in this particular opera, as well as on the future of the art form.
As Principal Conductor, how does this opera compare to others you have previously conducted?
Adam Turner: One of the unique qualities of this particular opera is its glorious choral music. Initially conceived as an oratorio, Saint-Saëns gives a fair amount of attention to the chorus, with Bach-like intensely challenging contrapuntal writing in the Hebrew choruses and Handelian lightness and simplicity for the Philistines. Outside of Verdi’s Aida and last season’s production of Puccini’s Turandot, I can’t think of a more complex, demanding and yet truly rewarding opera for the chorus to perform.
As Saint-Saëns composed this opera, it was largely rejected in Paris for its depiction of a Biblical subject. Do you think this history plays into its current frequency of performance?
Adam Turner: Quite honestly I think it was simply out-of-fashion for France in the mid-19th century. Saint-Saëns initially intended to use the well-known Old Testament story of Samson’s death and betrayal as an oratorio, but as he and his librettist began to sense tremendous dramatic possibilities, it was adapted into an opera. Once Samson and Delilah was more widely performed in the late-1800s, it enthralled audiences worldwide, becoming one of the most popular of operas.
What is the musical moment that most stands out to you in "Bacchanale," the opera’s best-known excerpt?
Adam Turner: It’s such a thrilling moment in the opera, as the celebratory Philistines are whisked into a sensuous frenzy. There’s a point towards the end of the Bacchanale, where the timpani has a raucous solo followed by the entire orchestra in unison melody, evoking the eroticism and exoticism of the Philistines. It’s an intensely seductive and breathtaking moment for the ears, let alone the eyes!
How does your additional role as Artistic Advisor affect performances of Samson and Delilah?
Adam Turner: Together with President & CEO Russell Allen, I’ve selected each of the artists for this production, including: the stage director and designer, the principal singers, and every member of our fabulous Opera Chorus. Much of this work is completed years in advance of rehearsals, but there are always final tweaks to the process and I absolutely relish the creative process, offering suggestions or critique as required.
This is your fourth season with Virginia Opera so far. What is your vision for the company, and/or for opera in general?
Adam Turner: One of Virginia Opera’s primary goals is to secure the youngest audience in the U.S. by 2025, and this is always at the forefront my mind—attracting young people to this incredible art form, giving them the opportunity to escape from a multitude of digital distractions, to unplug and restore their souls with the extraordinary power of the human voice. There’s nothing quite like sitting in a theater and becoming intimately acquainted with this uniquely passionate and soul-nourishing music.
Experience Virginia Opera’s Samson and Delilah
Saturday, October 7, 2017 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, October 8, 2017 at 2 p.m.
Tickets and more information