Samson et Dalila
Cast sheet
Friday 22 May 2026
|
7.30pm
Exceptional philanthropic support from Royal Ballet and Opera Principal Julia Rausing Trust
Generously supported by Rolex, Principal Partner, The Royal Opera
Approximate timings
Music
Camille Saint-Saëns
Libretto
Ferdinand Lemaire
Conductor
Alexander Soddy
Director
Richard Jones
Revival Director
Benjamin Davis
Set designer
Hyemi Shin
Costume designer
Nicky Gillibrand
Lighting designer
Andreas Fuchs
Choreographer and Movement Director.
Lucy Burge
Revival Choreographer
Róisín Whelan
Samson
SeokJong Baek
Dalila
Aigul Akhmetshina
High Priest of Dagon
Łukasz Goliński
Samson’s Rabbi
William Thomas
Abimelech
Ossian Huskinson
First Philistine
Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono
Second Philistine
Siphe Kwani
Philistine Messenger
Emyr Lloyd Jones
Dancers
Solomon Adlam, Bradley Applewhaite, Angus Bartlett, Luis Dunn, Martin Harding, Anthony Kurt-Gabel, Alexander Love, Louis Partridge, Jack Thomson, Harry Wilson
Actor
Lucy Burns
Orchestra
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Concert Master
Magnus Johnston
Chorus
Royal Opera Chorus
Chorus Director
William Spaulding
Sopranos
Jessica Broad, Bernadette Lord, Helen Miles, Alison Rayner, Elizabeth Roberts, Anna Samant, Rosalind Waters, Joanna Weeks, Vanessa Woodfine
Mezzo-sopranos
Jeanette Ager, Maria Brown, Siobhain Gibson, Vanessa Heine, Frances Jellard, Maria Jones, Deborah Miles-Johnson, Jennifer Westwood
Tenors
Phillip Bell, Simon Biazeck, Andrew Busher, Darrell Forkin, Richard Monk, James Scarlett
Basses
James Birchall, Oscar Castellino, Oliver Gibbs, Gavin Horsley, Simon Preece, Jochem van Ast, Peter Willcock, Jonathan Wood
Music preparation
Matt Scott Rogers, Patrick Milne, Nick Fletcher
Assistant Director
Simon Iorio
Video Designer
Akhila Krishnan
Fight Director
Bret Yount
Language Coach
Florence Daguerre de Hureaux
Patron
HM The King
Music Director
Jakub Hrůša
Director of Opera
Oliver Mears
Director of Casting
Peter Mario Katona
Associate Director
Netia Jones
Administrative Director
Cormac Simms
Synopsis
The Hebrews beg Jehovah to free them from their oppression by the Philistines...
The Hebrews beg Jehovah to free them from their oppression by the Philistines. Samson chastises his people for their lack of faith, and rouses them to war. Abimélech, a Philistine commander and kinsman of Dalila, denounces the Jews and their God. Enraged by this insult, Samson kills him.
The High Priest of Dagon curses Samson and his strength. The Jews celebrate their victory. Samson sees Dalila, his lover. The Old Hebrew warns him against returning to Dalila.
Urged to vengeance by the Philistines and the High Priest, Dalila resolves to betray Samson. A storm is brewing when Samson arrives, consumed with his passion for Dalila. She accuses him of inconstancy, and demands he prove his love for her by revealing the source of his strength. Samson hears a warning from God in the sound of the thunder – but ultimately gives into Dalila’s seduction. Philistine soldiers capture and blind Samson.
Alone and imprisoned, the blinded Samson is racked with guilt and remorse. He prays for his people whose voices he hears, raised in anguish against him. Samson is paraded before the Philistines. In the temple of Dagon, the Philistines worship their god. As their celebrations turn into a wild Bacchanale, Dalila and the High Priest taunt Samson, demanding he kneel before a statue of Dagon. Samson prays to God to restore his strength. His wish is granted: with a mighty effort, he destroys the temple, crushing everyone within.
Further information
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