The Fiddler of the Opera

At its 1877 premiere, Saint-Saëns' opera Samson et Dalila was viewed as a sacrilegious transformation of biblical scripture, and theater managers avoided it as box-office poison. But it's become perfect grist for the Nine Circles Chamber Theatre, an adventurous young troupe that is presenting an hour-long condensation of the work this weekend at Symphony Space. The production features violinist Gil Morgenstern who "sings" Samson, and joins us with a preview. Another up-and-coming group that straddles the boundary between chamber music and theater is the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), which is presenting Peter Maxwell Davies's landmark Eight Songs for a Mad King, a depiction of several events from King George III's infamous descent into insanity. ICE co-founder Claire Chase joins us with a preview. Finally, writer and composer Danny Felsenfeld drops by with our weekly CD review.
Additional Resources:
» Nine Circles Chamber Theater Web site
» International Contemporary Ensemble Web site