Medea by Luigi Cherubini is Jan. 7, 2023, Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Medea by Luigi Cherubini is the Jan. 7, 2023, Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as fourth of the 2022-2023 season's 24 Saturday matinee broadcasts.

Sir David McVicar's new production of Luigi Cherubini's Medea dramatically tragedizes Giasone-obsessed Medea's vengeful spree of agonizing deaths for her rival, Giasone's bride-to-be, and her two Giasone-fathered sons: The Metropolitan Opera, via Facebook Oct. 18, 2022

Medea by Luigi Cherubini is the Jan. 7, 2023, Saturday matinee broadcast, airing at 1:00 p.m., Eastern Time, as the fourth of the 2022-2023 Met Opera season's lineup of 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

Medea by Italian Classical and Romantic composer Luigi Cherubini (Sep. 14, 1760-March 15, 1842) concerns Greek mythology's vengeful Colchian princess, Medea (Ancient Greek: Μήδεια, Mēdeia), daughter of King Aeëtes (Ancient Greek: Αἰήτης; Aiḗtēs) of the eastern Black Sea kingdom of Colchis. French playwright François-Benoît Hoffman (July 11, 1760-April 25, 1828) based his French-language libretto upon two sources, the Medea-titled tragedy by classical Greek tragedian Euripides (Ancient Greek: Εὐριπίδης; Eurīpídēs; ca. 480-ca. 406 BC) and Médée (1635), a dramatic tragedy by 17th-century French tragedian Pierre Corneille (June 6, 1606-Oct. 1, 1684).

Medea is performed in Italian in the 2022-2023 Met Opera season. Italian librettist and playwright Carlo Zangarini (Dec. 9, 1873-July 19, 1943) translated Cherubini's Médée in 1909.

Medea receives eight autumn performances in Met Opera's 2022-2023 season. The opera's opening performance, Tuesday, Sep. 27, at 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time, marked its Metropolitan Opera premiere. The second through eighth, closing performances took place Saturday, Oct. 1, at 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 8, at 8:00 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 18, at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 22, at 1:00 p.m.; and Friday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m.

Met Opera's Jan. 7, 2023, Saturday matinee broadcast of Cherubini's Medea replays the opera company's autumnal Saturday matinee, which was performed Saturday, Oct. 22, as the seventh of the opera's eight performances in the 2022-2023 season. October's Saturday matinee was scheduled from 1:00 p.m. to 3:50 p.m., according to the date's program.

Carlo Rizzi conducted all eight performances of Medea. The Italian conductor had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Oct. 29, 1993, in the opera company’s 989th performance of La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Sondra Radvanovsky sings Medea, a vengeful Colchian princess and sorceress whose obsession with dispossessed hero Giasone impels her to treacherous actions. She helps Giasone to steal the fabled Golden Fleece of Colchis from her regal father, King Aeëtes; murders and dismembers her brother; magically kills Giasone's half-brother, Pelias; devises an agonizing death via a poisoned golden robe and a diadem for her rival, Giasone's bride-to-be, Glauce (Ancient Greek: Γλαυκή "blue-gray"), daughter of King Creonte (Ancient Greek: Κρέων; Kreōn, "ruler") of Corinth (Greek: Κόρινθος; Kórinthos) in south central Greece's Peloponnese Region (Greek: Περιφέρεια Πελοποννήσου; Periféria Peloponnísou); and stab her two sons, fathered by Giasone, to death. The American-Canadian soprano had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Dec. 9, 1996, as Countess Ceprano in the opera company’s 721st performance of Rigoletto by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

Janai Brugger appears as Glauce, whose wedding is terminated fatally by her husband-to-be's ex-wife, Medea. The American operatic soprano had made her Metropolitan Opera debut Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, as Liù in the opera company’s 291st performance of Turandot by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Ekaterina Gubanova appears in the first four and last two (including the Oct. 22 Saturday matinee) performances as Neris, who is tasked with conveying Medea's poisoned wedding gifts to Glauce. The Russian mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Monday, Dec. 10, 2007, as Hélène Bezubenkov in the opera company's 11th performance of War and Peace by Russian-Soviet composer, conductor and pianist Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (April 23, 1891-March 5, 1953).

Ekaterina Gubanova shares Neris with Olivia Vote, who sings Neris in fifth and sixth performances. The American mezzo-soprano had made her Met Opera debut Friday, March 1, 2019, as Countess Ceprano in the opera company's 890th performance of Verdi's Rigoletto.

Matthew Polenzani appears in the first four and last three (including the Oct. 22 Saturday matinee) performances as Giasone, a dispossessed hero whose desire for the fabled Golden Fleece of Colchis associates him with Medea and entangles him in the chaos of her vengeful sorcery. The American lyric tenor had made his Met Opera debut Friday, Dec. 19, 1997, as Khrushchov in the opera house’s 251st performance of Boris Godunov by Russian composer Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (March 21, 1839-March 28, 1881).

Matthew Polenzani shares Giasone with Rafael Davila, who sings the tragic role in the fifth performance. The Puerto Rican tenor had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, as Don José in the opera company's 1,002nd performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875).

Michele Pertusi sings King Creonte, who trades his daughter, Glauce, in marriage to Giasone in exchange for the stolen Golden Fleece. The Italian bass had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Jan. 20, 1997, as Count Almaviva in the opera company’s 358th performance of Le Nozze di Figaro by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

The 2022-2023 Met Opera season's next Saturday matinee opera broadcast is scheduled for Jan. 14. Giordano's Fedora airs Jan. 14 at 1:00 p.m. as the 2022-2023 Met Opera season's fifth of 24 Saturday matinee opera broadcasts.

American-Canadian soprano Sondra Radvanovsky in rehearsal for the title role in the 2022-2023 Met Opera season's Medea; the Greek mythology-themed Cherubini opera receives its Metropolitan Opera premiere in a new production by veteran Met Opera director Sir David McVicar: Sondra Radvanovsky @SondraRadvan, via Twitter Sep. 4, 2022

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Sir David McVicar's new production of Luigi Cherubini's Medea dramatically tragedizes Giasone-obsessed Medea's vengeful spree of agonizing deaths for her rival, Giasone's bride-to-be, and her two Giasone-fathered sons: The Metropolitan Opera, via Facebook Oct. 18, 2022, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/pfbid0Lxv7QScrGc7jbUwv5TmzC8KwrT3JWMZjUYkFr9SwAgnqwJgntEtRuznWzjqrWGpol

American-Canadian soprano Sondra Radvanovsky in rehearsal for the title role in the 2022-2023 Met Opera season's Medea; the Greek mythology-themed Cherubini opera receives its Metropolitan Opera premiere in a new production by veteran Met Opera director Sir David McVicar: Sondra Radvanovsky @SondraRadvan, via Twitter Sep. 4, 2022, @ https://twitter.com/SondraRadvan/status/1566550092676583424

For further information:

“Debut: Carlo Rizzi.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 314310 > La Bohème {989} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/29/1993.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=314310

"Debut: Janai Brugger." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354619 Turandot {291} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/02/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354619

"Debut: Olivia Vote." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357163 Rigoletto {890} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/01/2019.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357163

“Debuts: Alastair Miles, Sondra Radvanovsky, Lee Hamilton.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:326720 Rigoletto {721} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/9/1996.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=314310

"Debuts: Aleksei Markov, Marina Poplavskaya, Keith Jameson, Ekaterina Gubanova, Vitaliy Bilyy, Alexander Morozov, Todd Thomas, Lucas Meachem, Jennifer Zetlan, Samuel Dylan Rosner, Jeffrey Roger, Scott Graham, Michael Gomborone, Ashley Kohl." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352228 War and Peace {11} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/10/2007. Sirius Broadcast live. Streamed at metopera.org.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=314310

“Debuts: Clémentine Margaine, Rafael Davila, Shirin Eskandani.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356599 Carmen {1002} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/19/2017.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356599

“Debuts: Constantin Pluzhnikov, Olga Borodina, Iosef Shalamayev, Nikolai Gassiev, Daniel Sumegi, Matthew Polenzani.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 330264 Boris Godunov {251} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/19/1997.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=330264

“Debuts: Michele Pertusi, Robin Guarino.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 327140 Le Nozze di Figaro {358} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/20/1997.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=327140

Marriner, Derdriu. "Met Opera's 2022-2023 Season Has 24 Saturday Matinee Opera Broadcasts." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 28, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/11/met-operas-2022-2023-season-has-24.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Three of Seven 2022-2023 Met Opera Season New Productions Are Premieres." Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/11/three-of-seven-2022-2023-met-opera.html

The Metropolitan Opera. "The unforgettable mythic power of Cherubini’s Medea is back on stage tonight, October 18, at 7PM, under the direction of Carlo Rizzi. There are only three performances left—get your tickets today! David McVicar’s fiery production features sopranos Sondra Radvanovsky and Janai Brugger, mezzo-sopranos Olivia Vote (October 18) and Ekaterina Gubanova (October 22 and 28), tenor Matthew Polenzani, and bass Michele Pertusi. On stage through October 28: bit.ly/3b7jvVO In cinemas (bit.ly/3O11Ux9) and Live at Home (bit.ly/3eFQHFR) on Saturday, October 22. Photos by Marty Sohl / Met Opera." Facebook. Oct. 18, 2022.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/pfbid0Lxv7QScrGc7jbUwv5TmzC8KwrT3JWMZjUYkFr9SwAgnqwJgntEtRuznWzjqrWGpol

"Metropolitan Opera Premiere Medea." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357695 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Medea {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/27/2022. Broadcast/Streamed/Times Squarecast. (Opening Night {137} Peter Gelb General Manager. Debuts: Doey Lüthi, Jo Meredith. Metropolitan Opera House September 27, 2022.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=3576958

Sondra Radvanovsky @SondraRadvan. "Start on STAGE on Tuesday with @metopera and this SPECTACULAR new production of MEDEA by Sir David McVicar! Can’t wait to see what the full set looks like. Watch out world and get ready for me to unleash my inner MEDEA! Photo: Jonathan Tichler/Met Opera." Twitter. Sep. 4, 2022.
Available @ https://twitter.com/SondraRadvan/status/1566550092676583424