Mae West: Delilah by the Bay

In her 1935 release "Goin' to Town," MAE WEST's character — — newly rich Cleo Borden — — has an evening soiree and decides to impress the guests by "throwing an opera." Always envisioning herself as a seductress, Mae (hilariously costumed) performs an erotic French aria by Camille Saint-Saëns: "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix."
• • In her attempt to ensnare Samson, this is Delilah's most famous aria. In her 7-minute song, the Philistine temptress tells the long-haired Hebrew warrior, "My heart opens to your voice as the flowers open to dawn's kisses."
• • San Jose Mercury News opera critic Richard Scheinin, fondly remembering Mae's performance, was disappointed in the season-opening revival of "Samson and Delilah" at the War Memorial Opera House [in San Francisco, California]. Richard Scheinin described the production as "bland kitsch that gets ignited by the sumptuous voice of Russian mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina, as Delilah, and goes over the top with sets stimulating our movie memories." He added: It's a wonder than an opera can so successfully merge sensuality and boredom and still get produced — — yet "S&D" manages. [Source: San Jose Mercury News on 11 September 2007.]
• • First staged 130 years ago in 1877, "Samson and Delilah" is on tap in the Bay area through 28 September 2007.
• • For a lot less, you can rent "Goin' to Town" [1935] and get a kick out of Mae goin' to town on her campy impression of Delilah.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1935 • •
NYC
Mae West.