Brussels heard it in 1878; but it did not reach one of the theatres of France until March 3, 1890, when Rouen produced it at its Theatre des Arts under the direction of M.Henri Verdhurt.

It took nearly seven months more to reach Paris, where the first representation was at the Eden Theatre on October 31 of the same year.

Two years later, after it had been heard in a number of French and Italian provincial theatres, it was given at the Academie Nationale de Musique under the direction of M.Colonne.The part of Dalila was taken by Mme.
Deschamps-Jehin, that of Samson by M.Vergnet, that of the High Priest by M.Lassalle.Eight months before this it had been performed as an oratorio by the Oratorio Society of New York.

There were two performances, on March 25 and 26, 1892, the conductor being Mr.Walter Damrosch and the principal singers being Frau Marie Ritter-Goetze, Sebastian Montariol, H.E.Distelhurst, Homer Moore, Emil Fischer, and Purdon Robinson.

London had heard the work twice as an oratorio before it had a stage representation there on April 26, 1909, but this performance was fourteen years later than the first at the Metropolitan Opera House on February 8, 1895.