The 45th season for Opera Grand Rapids opens November 2nd and 3rd with Samson and Delilah.  This will be the first time the famous opera by Camille Saint-Saens will have been produced here in Grand Rapids, and it promises to be exciting.

The story of the mighty Samson,  Delilah, and the tragic fate that befalls them is well known from the Old Testament tale, not to mention the 1949 movie starring Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr by Cecil B. DeMille.

Since Saint-Saens’ most popular opera debuted in the 1890s,  Italian opera has grown in popularity.  But, this production will be sung in French.

Mezzo soprano Stacey Rishoi stars a Delilah, along with baritone Mark Rucker as the high priest.  It's a huge production and will also feature the Opera Grand Rapids Chorus of 60, and the Grand Rapids Symphony.  Rishoi is making her debut performance in DeVos Performance Hall.  Rucker is well known to Grand Rapids from past productions of “Rigoletto” in the title role in 2010, and as Scarpia in "Tosca" in 2008, two years earlier.

Samson and Delilah is great theater, and an opera not to be missed with performances beginning at 7:30 p.m.

You can get tickets for either Friday November 2, or Saturday November 3 in DeVos Performance Hall, at Ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-982-2787, at Opera Grand Rapids, or by calling the Opera office at 616-451-2741.

 

 

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