Samson et Dalila review their two voices combine as if made to measure

"Samson et Dalila's fortunes since suggest an alternative answer. But the piece remains an odd hybrid of opera and oratorio, held together by the best of its music and the talents of the two principal singers. On the headline-act front, the Royal Opera's first revival of Richard Jones's 2022 production is a triumph. South Korean tenor SeokJong Baek returns as Samson, the role with which he made his acclaimed Covent Garden debut."

"Where dramatic chemistry with Elina Garanca, the 2022 Dalila, was evidently in short supply, this revival boasts a role debut from the ever-astonishing young mezzo Aigul Akhmetshina. Fresh from a winning streak of Carmens, Akhmetshina exudes dramatic self-possession and physical ease, her seductive intensity the ideal foil for the tortured awkwardness of Baek's hero. Seductive intensity Aigul Akhmetshina (Dalila) and SeokJong Baek (Samson) in Samson et Dalila at the Royal Opera House, May 2026."

"Musically, Baek retains the deluxe baritonal plush of his former voice-type, topped here with an apparently effortless 25-carat gleam in his upper register and a capacity for intimate pianissimos that dripped with pathos. Akhmetshina's Dalila was as irresistible as she should be, switching from sweetness and light to dangerous, covered fury as the situation demanded, her tone simultaneously ultra-controlled and apparently free, her musical lines long and liquid."

"Neither offered much by way of French diction, but when voices combine as if made to measure and are as dramatically persuasive as this, who cares? Their performances alone make this revival worth seeing. Then there was everything else. The expressive range of these two exceptional performers risks leaving the rest of the cast (no thanks to Saint-Saens) sounding rather bland."

Samson et Dalila is presented as an unusual blend of opera and oratorio, relying on strong music and standout principal singers. The Royal Opera’s first revival of Richard Jones’s 2022 production is described as a triumph. SeokJong Baek returns as Samson, bringing a rich baritonal sound, bright upper register, and expressive pianissimos with pathos. Aigul Akhmetshina debuts as Dalila, combining dramatic self-possession and physical ease with seductive intensity. Her performance shifts from sweetness to dangerous fury as needed, with ultra-controlled yet free tone and long, liquid musical lines. The singers’ chemistry and precision in ensemble outweigh shortcomings in French diction, making the performances the main reason to attend.

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