New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-27
.Saint-Saens's Opera
Samson ct Dalila "
Operatic History of the Son of Neutrality-suspicious.
of Rameau. Duprez and Raf-Vicisstudes of
Saint-Saenss Opera-The Hero in -
Comparative Mythology.
BY II. f. KREHBIEL.
Copyright. 1916.

TNHERE but musical works based the story of
Samson the current list today Handels oraorio and
- Saint-Saenss opera but the lyric drama still in its
infancy the subject took hold of the fancy composers
and has held The earliest works of the kind
called operas the books and spoken of oaoros
now though they doubtless performed with scenery and
costumes and with action OF Such Il" Sansone by
Giovanni Paoa Coonna Bologna 1871 "Sansone acceato da
Fistr by Francesca Antonio Uri Venice about OO), Sn
son" by Chrsoph Graupner QIamburg, l709) "Smon by
Ceore Pasterwitz about 1ZO Samson by n A. Leofrd
Meeaux paris, 1779, "Smson by Johann Heinrich Role
about 1901 Simson by Franz Tucze Vienna, 1904 and III
Sansone" Francesca Basil NAPLES, 1924 Two French
oas are associated with great and have interesting his
tories Voltaire dramatic the subject at the
quest La Popene the farmer general who poet musician
and exercised tremendous influence his day Rameau
was in service household clavecins and set Votaes
poem The authors looked forward production the stage
~ the Grand Opera where at least two Biblical operas Old
Testament "Tephthe New Testament "Enan prologue
were Rmeau had powerful enemies and the
was prohibited the day which to have been
performed The composer had to stomach his modification as best
he could he put OF his Hebrew music into the service OF his
Persian "ZoroaStre.
The other French Samson whom have referred had also
to undergo seachange like Rameau Rossini Moses and
Verds Nebucbadnezzdr Dupez who ambitious shine
as composer as we'll singer Che less than eight
operas and The Last Judgment tried his hand
on Samson opera and succeeded ensng the help of Dumas
the elder in writing the lbreo When he ready to present
at the the Grand Opera the Minister OF Fine Arts told
mpraccabe the stage setting OF the last act
alone would cost than 100000 francs Duprez then followed
the example set by Rossins Nose in London and changed the
book make tell story Of the crusade which he called Ze
hora Nevertheless the original form restored in German
and Italian transaons of the work and had concert perform
snces 75 To Joachim Raft denied even this poor COM
fort He wrote German "Simson between 1851 and 1857 The
conductor at Danstad to whom first submitted rejected
on ground that difficult for his singers Raft then
gave List with whom he Ojournng at Weimar and
who had taken pity his Kong Alfred but the tenor singer
the Wemar said the music high Long alter
ward Wagner friend Carolsfeld the
the of the composer The heroic stature OF the hero de-
lighted him. and his praise moved Raft revise the opera but
before this had Snorr died OF the cold contracted while
creating role of Wagners Tristan at Munich in 1863 thus
molrnuy ended third episode As late 1882 Raft spoke
OF taking opera hand again. but though he have done
so his death found the work unperfOrmed and has not yet seen
the light of the stage-lamps.