When mezzosoprano Elīna Garanča and tenor Roberto Alagna joined forces for a new production of “Carmen” at the Met, the results were electrifying. Now this star duo reunites for another sensual French opera when they open the season in the title roles of Saint-Saëns’s biblical epic “Samson et Dalila”.

“Samson et Dalila” is the only one from the 12 operas by the famous French composer Camille Saint-Saëns which keeps on being staged all over the world to a great success. The Biblical story of love and betrayal, but also of faith and sacrifice, is the basis for the libretto, written by Ferdinand Lemaire, who used texts from the Old Testament.   

The Serbia-born theatre director Darko Tresnjak, who won a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical in 2014 for “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder”, makes his Met debut directing a vivid, seductive staging, featuring a monumental setting for the last-act Temple of Dagon, where the hero crushes his Philistine enemies. Sir Mark Elder conducts the first new Met production of the work in 20 years.

Roberto Alagna was in heroic voice as Samson… this was a whole-hearted performance (Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack)

On the photo: Elīna Garanča as Dalila and Roberto Alagna as Samson in Saint-Saëns’ “Samson et Dalila.”

Photo: Vincent Peters / Met Opera