The fact that Medea is a foreigner from Colchis—a place considered by the wealthy and urbane Corinthians to be primitive and filled with excessively emancipated women—is a telling detail. Located on the Black Sea coast in present-day western Georgia, Colchis has also been considered as a possible homeland for the mythological warrior women, the Amazons.

Cherubini’s Medée

Cherubini’s opera, which originally featured a French libretto, made its world premiere at the Théâtre Feydeau in Paris in 1797. Composed towards the end of the French Revolution, it presents a musical and dramatic bridge between the Classical and Romantic eras, while also capturing a sense for the shocking cruelty and bloodshed of the recently concluded Terror.

Sound familiar?

Ludwig van Beethoven was a contemporary of Cherubini’s who rated the composer extremely highly. Beethoven is known to have owned a score of Medée and may have based themes in his Pathéthique Sonata on figures from the opera.

Once more, in Italian

Carlo Zangarini’s Italian translation for the opera’s premiere at La Scala in 1909 became the standard version performed for the rest of the twentieth century. This version also introduced new recitatives that replaced the old spoken dialogue.    

Arguably the definitive Medea to date was portrayed by the legendary American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas in the 1950s and 60s. Having learned the role in just one week, she starred in the 1953 Florence revival to critical acclaim. This was followed by performances at La Scala (with Leonard Bernstein conducting), Dallas Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus in Greece.

The next great Medea

The role of Medea is famously difficult, reaching the very top of the soprano vocal range.  Director Sir David McVicar has described operatic superstar Sondra Radvanovsky as “one of the few sopranos in the world that could take this on.” Having triumphed in the Met’s premiere production of Medea in 2022, Radvanovsky brings the role to the COC in 2024 in a theatrical event that is not to be missed.

An exclusive design

Sir David McVicar developed the set design for this production while quarantining at his home in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic. Featuring massive walls, mirrors, barriers, and doors, the set emphasizes Medea’s isolation and exclusion from not just society but those she loves most dearly.

Shifting interpretations

The story of Medea has undergone a range of readings by artists and writers across the centuries, with some representations stressing the heroine’s feminist attributes, and others applying psychoanalytical, political, and philosophical lenses to her actions. Join us this season for a stunning new production of Cherubini’s Medea to experience this timeless and endlessly compelling tale—and judge for yourself!