Saint-Saëns’ grand French opera, not heard in Seattle since 1965, returns January 2023 in a concert production showcasing the breathtaking music of this powerful Old Testament epic. Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean introduces Samson et Dalila, with musical examples drawn from recordings conducted by Louis Fourestier, starring Hélène Bouvier and Paul Cabanel; George Prêtre, starring Rita Gorr, Ernest Blanc, and the René Duclos Chorus; Daniel Barenboim, starring the Orchestre de Paris; Myung-Whun Chung, starring Placido Domingo and the orchestra and chorus of Opéra-Bastille; plus solo recital albums starring Maria Callas and Georges Thill.