SAMSON and DELILAH -- SHIRLEY VERRETT

SHIRLEY VERRETT singing "Samson recherchant ma presence" from the 1981 Covent Garden production of "Samson and Delilah by Saint Saens which I'd recorded on VHS tape from a TV screening!

[@Huaimek861]

Thank you The PHILIPOTTO , I saw the television showing and then traveled all the way from Cornwall to London especially to buy the VHS recording at Covent Garden , which I still have . Unfortunately my video player has a fault and I am having difficulty getting it repaired .
I do not believe there has ever been a better production than this and nobody sings Dalila as beautifully and expressively as Shirley Verrett . Elijah Moscinski's directing and Sidney Nolan's beautiful settings and costumes are unequaled .

[@philipotto9852]

yes she had a beautiful voice, there's something unique about the Mezzo voice, my current favourite Mezzo is Latvian singer Elina Garanca, she has style. th-cam.com/video/X79OkSayPSw/w-d-xo.html

[@Huaimek861]

There is indeed something special about the mezzo soprano voice , or contralto . Mezzo's are said to be unusually sexy , but it must be the sound of their dulcet tone voice that has tremendous allure . In my middling years I have been captivated by the sound of a mezzo woman's voice , also another with a beautiful speaking voice . Elina Garanca does have a beautiful voice , but this aria needs continuous fluidity , tremendous evenness of tone and fire , which I think she misses . Maria Callas gives an excellent example of how this aria should be sung . How about this sample sung by Eileen Farrell , if I were Samson I should find her irresistible . th-cam.com/video/RB0jnaz8-BQ/w-d-xo.html

[@philipotto9852]

interesting to hear your views, I'd not heard of Eileen Farrell before so thankyou for the link, an interesting voice!