MEDEA (Cherubini) Merida 1989 Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Elena Obratzsova
In this video
MEDEA or Médée by Luigi Cherubini
Teatro Romano de Merida, Spain
1989
CAST
Montserrat Caballé – Medea
José Carreras – Jason
Elena Obratzsova – Neris
Kolos Kovats – Creonte
María Gallego – Glauce
Rosa María Conesa – Primera Doncella
Mabel Perelstein – Segunda Doncella
Miguel Ortega Capitan de la Guardia
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Conductor: Antoni Ros-Marbà
Orquesta Sinfonica de RTVe
Coro de RTVE
Chorust Master: Romano Gandolfi
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Stage Director: José Luis Alonso
Stage Designer: Toni Cortes, Alfonso Barajas
Costume Designer: Pepe Rubio
Coreograph: Olivier Perriguey
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Médée is a French language opéra-comique by Luigi Cherubini. The libretto by François-Benoît Hoffman (Nicolas Étienne Framéry) was based on Euripides’ tragedy of Medea and Pierre Corneille’s play Médée. It is set in the ancient city of Corinth.
The opera was premiered on 13 March 1797 at the Théâtre Feydeau, Paris. It met with a lukewarm reception and was not immediately revived. During the twentieth century, it was usually performed in Italian translation as Medea, with the spoken dialogue replaced by recitatives not authorized by the composer. More recently, some performances have used Cherubini’s original version.
The long-lost final aria, which Cherubini appears to have elided from his original manuscript, was discovered by researchers from the University of Manchester and Stanford University by employing x-ray techniques to reveal the blackened out areas of Cherubini’s manuscript.
Synopsis
Place: Corinth Time: Antiquity
Act 1
Outside the palace of King Créon
Dircé is preparing for her wedding to Jason. Years ago, Jason had stolen the golden fleece with the help of Médée, who had betrayed her family and established a relationship with Jason, the result of which was two children. Although Jason has since abandoned Médée, she reappears and demands that he return to her. Jason refuses and Médée curses him, swearing vengeance.
Act 2
Inside the palace
In despair, Médée is encouraged by her slave, Néris, to leave the city. Créon then appears and orders that Médée leave. She asks for one more day with her children and, after the king agrees, she appears to be calmer and gives Néris two wedding presents to take to her rival.
Act 3
Between the palace and the temple
Néris brings the two children out to where Médée is waiting. Sounds of lamentation are heard from within the palace and it is discovered that one of Médée’s wedding presents has poisoned Dircé. An angry crowd gathers and Néris, Médée, and the children take refuge in the temple. From the temple, the two women reappear with Médée grasping a blood-stained knife with which she has killed her two children. Médée curses Jason and disappears into the air. The temple goes up in flames and the crowd flees in terror.
Quoted from Wikipedia