Opera Grand Rapids Presents Samson + Delilah [Video] [Photos]

I had planned on heading out to Lake Michigan to get some pictures of the huge waves which came as a result of Hurricane Sandy.  But when I saw the sand whipping around on TV at 60 mph, I changed my mind and decided to take photos at the Opera instead.  From one storm to another, but as it turned out it was a good move! My camera was protected and I got to see a grand opera of Biblical proportions!

You know the story, although I’ll bet you never seen it performed like this!  Friday and Saturday, Opera Grand Rapids will present for the first time, Samson and Delilah.  The story is sung in French, but comes with short English subtitles.  This is my second opera and I’ve figured out you don’t have to understand what the actors/singers are singing about, their actions and the subtitles make it pretty obvious what’s going on.  And since there is no spoken words in opera, the actors body language and facial expressions are very important to the story.

The actors who play Samson and Delilah are excellent.  Delilah is everything a seductress/vamp/villainess should be.  And Sampson, poor Sampson, plays the part of the Hero blinded by love, who finds just enough inspiration and strength to really “bring the house” down.  If that’s not enough to make you want to see Sampson and Delilah, Dancers from Grand Valley State University are featured prominently in the first act.  Here are some photos.  Excuse the blurriness.  It was a very dark story, told with limited light.  And a video link that Sarah Mieras from Opera Grand Rapids put together.