Cherubini's Medea Audio

Stephen Barlow, conductor

Medea – Lise Davidsen
Giasone – Sergey Romanovsky
Glauce – Ruth Iniesta
Neris – Raffaella Lupinacci
Creonte – Adam Lau

This is an audio recording from the 2017 Wexford Festival of Luigi Cherubini's opera Medea, 1797. I haven't been able to locate a video.  I am here for Lise Davidsen, of course.  There will be no confusion about when Lise is singing.  

Cherubini was born only 4 years after Mozart and lived well after Beethoven.  Listening to this one has to wonder why one never hears his music.  There needs to be someone to sing the leading role which has a certain weight.  The opera is performed here in Italian and sung throughout.  Originally it was an opera comique in French with spoken dialog.  In the 21st century there is generally a return to French, but not here.  It's rather like Beethoven's early period without the melodrama.

Giasone (Jason) is marrying Glauce and Medea is not happy about it.  She shows up to prevent the marriage and failing that to destroy everyone.  The aria from Lise Davidsen's recent album is in the first act. It sounds wonderful here, too.  Medea pretends to give the fiance a gift, but it is poisoned.  I prefer to see operas.  In this one you need at least to see the children to get the idea.

What a wonder she is.  She roars like a lion  One can only adore.