Janet Baker - Samson et Dalila - Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix

Dame Janet Baker sings the famous love song from Saint-Saens' Samson et Dalila (in English).

• Category

  Music

[Drewminter]

It may not be the sexiest rendition, but I dare anyone to come up with a more gorgeous legato line. Rule, Brittania!

[paulprocopolis]

I agree with iwuabrodya, that this aria sounds better in French (at least to my ears it does), but Janet Baker sings it beautifully. The voice supplies the emotion belied to some extent by the statuesque bearing. It's great to be reminded of Dame Janet at her superb best.

[Warren Hamlet]

There's no denying the quality of the voice, but I wonder if she actually enjoyed singing it. I thought she was much more "at home" with Gluck, Handel, Pucell, Donizetti etc.

[Kathleen Hazeldine]

This voice is simply one of a kind...people cannot mistake this voice, nor can they mistake the GREAT SENSITIVITY with which Dame Janet sings this wonderful aria. Again, I say that I could listen to this forever and ever. There is just a quality in this voice that I love very much. ...cannot explain it really. It's just my ear and heart that loves this so mch, I guess. Thank you YOU TUBE and Gabba 02 for making this available to us. BRAVA Dame Janet!!!!

[Booth Tarkington]

Finer singing than those who bellow this aria. Her interpretation is genuine

heartfelt emotion

[Suzanne Builta]

The Book is " Full Circle" . It tells more of her last year in opera then a bio. I enjoyed reading it. There is also a video by the same name about her last year.

[Nunes Antoine]

Si vouliez ouvrir votre coeur à la voix de Dahlila version Violoncelle ... reportez-vous sur Youtub au répertoire Stjepan et Sulic. A part le son qui ne semble pas naturel ces Deux-là semblent bien tirer leurs morceaux d´une sensibilité sincère.

( d´un autre côté , ils cabotinent un peu  dans un répertoire jazz-pop) ...

[Nunes Antoine]

C´est très beau évidemment. Mais pour être en situation avec Samson, il n´y a qu´un tempérament , c´est celui de La Callas je  trouve, avec toute la pugnacité charnelle et dramatique qui lui était propre. Merci Hugo.

[mk w]

This seems to be an academic exercise.

[Tenortalker]

Never mind the English translation - although it was well known through Marian Anderson's recording. In its own way this is perfect. Just listen to the way she links the notes between the second verse and refrain. The piano ending is magical and she really lives the drama in the second section. Dame Janet would never have sung this role onstage as it was too heavy in places for her lyrical voice, but who cares, it is a sublime and moving moment of song! Thank you for posting.

[ziggylennox2012]

She's a Lyric mezzo but the most impressive thing is that she possesses a very lower register like a Contralto and that's admirable. She's undoubtely one of the best mezzosopranos ever!!! ♥