Medea and Fedora Are David McVicar's 12th and 13th Met Opera Stagings

Summary: Cherubini's Medea and Giordano's Fedora in the 2022-2023 season number as David McVicar's 12th and 13th Met Opera productions.

Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau), 1883-1884 oil on canvas portrait of Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau (Jan. 29, 1859-July 25, 1915), New Orleans-born, Parisian socialite of European Creole ancestry; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gallery 771 Portraiture in the Grand Manner: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter Jan. 19, 2023

Cherubini's Medea and Giordano's Fedora in the 2022-2023 season number as the 12th and 13th new productions staged by David McVicar at the Metropolitan Opera.

Scottish opera and theatre director Sir David McVicar debuted two new productions in the 2022-2023 Met Opera season. He had made his Met Opera debut Monday, Feb. 16, 2009, in the opera company's 600th performance of Il Trovatore by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901).

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Medea by Italian Classical and Romantic composer Luigi Cherubini (Sep. 14, 1760-March 15, 1842) in the 2022-2023 season debuted McVicar's new production of the Greek mythology-themed opera. McVicar's 12th Met Opera production received eight performances in the 2022-2023 season. Opening through eighth, closing performances were given Tuesday, Sep. 27, 2022; Saturday, Oct. 1; Wednesday, Oct. 5; Saturday, Oct. 8; Thursday, Oct. 13; Tuesday, Oct. 18; Saturday, Oct. 22; and Friday, Oct. 28.

Sir David directed the production and designed the sets. His Medea production team comprised Doey Lüthi, costume designer; Paule Constable, lighting designer; S. Katy Tucker, projection designer; and Jo Meredith, movement director. Switzerland-born costume designer Doey Lüthi and international movement director Jo Meredith made their Met Opera debuts Tuesday, Sep. 27, 2022, in McVicar's 12th Met Opera production.

British lighting designer Paule Constable had made her Met Opera debut Friday, April 11, 2008, in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Satyagraha by American composer Philip Glass (born Jan. 31, 1937). American projection designer S. Katy Tucker had made her Met Opera debut Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in the opera company's 11th performance of Prince Igor by Georgian-Russian Romantic composer Alexander Borodin (Nov. 12, 1833-Feb. 27, 1887).

David McVicar's second new production in the 2022-2023 season was Fedora by Italian composer Umberto Giordano (Aug. 28, 1867-Nov. 12, 1948). The Metropolitan Opera had hosted Fedora's United States premiere 116 years earlier, on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 1906, at the opera company's first building, located at 1411 Broadway, between West 39th and West 40th streets, in Midtown Manhattan's Garment District. Fedora received five performances in its United States premiere season. The Metropolitan Opera House was the venue for Fedora's opening through third (Wednesday, Dec. 5; Saturday, Dec. 15; Christmas Eve, Monday, Dec. 24) performances and fifth, closing performance (Friday, Jan. 4, 1907). The fourth performance, Wednesday, Dec. 27, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the opera company's 1906-1907 tour.

McVicar's 13th Met Opera production was scheduled for prestigious opening as part of the opera company's New Year's Eve Gala. The opera company's Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, press release described the opening "with a New Year's Eve Gala" of McVicar's "detailed new staging -- his 13th production at the Met" of "Giordano's exhilarating verismo drama" as ringing in the new year. The press release noted the opera's return after a 25-year absence from Met Opera's active repertoire.

McVicar's Fedora staging debuted New Year's Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. Fedora received eight performances in the 2022-2023 season. Opening through eighth, closing performances took place Wednesday, Jan. 4; Saturday, Jan. 7; Wednesday, Jan. 11; Saturday, Jan. 14; Thursday, Jan. 19; Sunday, Jan. 22; and Saturday, Jan. 28.

McVicar's Fedora production team comprises Charles Edwards, set designer; Brigitte Reiffenstuel, costume desinger; Adam Silverman, lighting designer; and Sara Erde, movement director. English set designer Charles Edwards and German costume designer Brigitte Reiffenstuel had made their Met Opera debuts Monday, Feb. 16, 2009, along with McVicar and his new production, in the opera company's 600th performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore.

American-born lighting designer Adam Silverman had made his Met Opera debut Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012, in the opera company's 288th performance of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera. American choreographer Sara Erde had made her Met Opera debut Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014, in the opera company's 74th performance of Werther by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912).

No McVicar productions are rostered for the 2023-2024 season, according to the Metropolitan Opera website's schedule for 2023-2024.

Sir David McVicar's 12th Met Opera production, his 2022-2023 staging of Cherubini's Medea; sets by David McVicar, costumes by Doey Lüthi, lighting by Paule Constable, projection design S. Katy Tucker and movement direction by Jo Meredit: The Metropolitan Opera, via Facebook Oct. 5, 2022

Acknowledgment

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

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau), 1883-1884 oil on canvas portrait of Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau (Jan. 29, 1859-July 25, 1915), New Orleans-born, Parisian socialite of European Creole ancestry; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gallery 771 Portraiture in the Grand Manner: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Twitter Jan. 19, 2023, @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1616205656628858895

Sir David McVicar's 12th Met Opera production, his 2022-2023 staging of Cherubini's Medea; sets by David McVicar, costumes by Doey Lüthi, lighting by Paule Constable, projection design S. Katy Tucker and movement direction by Jo Meredit: The Metropolitan Opera, via Facebook Oct. 5, 2022, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/pfbid033ZZGJa8KjhngjEgoxetPLjRgA7K5RhyrXkNaz24nhspMm7HVCtwYf5tTaYF92u27l

For further information:

"Debuts: David McVicar, Charles Edwards, Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Leah Hausman." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353605 New Production Il Trovatore {600} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/16/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353605

"Debuts: Dmitri Tcherniakov, Elena Zaitseva, Itzik Galili, S. Katy Tucker, Sergey Semishkur, Oksana Dyka, Kiri Deonarine, Mikhail Vekua." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355301 New Production Prince Igor {11} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/06/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355301

"Debuts: Doey Lüthi, Jo Meredith." 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

"Debuts: Paul Steinberg, Adam Silverman, Maxine Braham." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354641 New Production Un Ballo in Maschera {288} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/08/2012, Metropolitan Opera Radio Sirius XM channel 74 Broadcast live Streamed at metopera.org. (Debuts: Paul Steinberg, Adam Silverman, Maxine Braham Broadcast/Streamed Review). Metropolitan Opera House. November 8, 2012. Broadcast/Streamed. New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354641

"Debuts: Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch, Kevin Pollard, Paule Constable, Leo Warner, Mark Grimmer, 59 Productions, Dante Anzolini, Ellie Dehn, Skills Ensemble." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352481 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Satyagraha {1} Broadcast ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 04/11/2008, Sirius Broadcast live Streamed at metopera.org. (Debuts: Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch, Kevin Pollard, Paule Constable, Leo Warner, Mark Grimmer, 59 Productions, Dante Anzolini, Ellie Dehn, Skills Ensemble Broadcast/Streamed Review). Metropolitan Opera House. April 11, 2008 Broadcast/Streamed. Metropolitan Opera Premiere.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352481

"Debuts: Sara Erde, Sophie Koch, David Bizic, Richard Hausman, Helena Abbott, Daniel Katzman, Thomas White." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355319 New Production Werther {74} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/18/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355319

Marriner, Derdriu. "Fedora by Giordano Is Jan. 14, 2023, Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 9, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/01/fedora-by-giordano-is-jan-14-2023.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Medea by Luigi Cherubini is Jan. 7, 2023, Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, Jan. 2, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/01/medea-by-luigi-cherubini-is-jan-7-2023.html

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

Marriner, Derdriu. "Umberto Giordano, Born Aug. 28, 1867, Composed Madame Sans-Gêne." Earth and Space News. Monday, Aug. 26, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/08/umberto-giordano-born-aug-28-1867.html

The Metropolitan Opera. "Cherubini’s Medea, a tale of love, desperation, and revenge, is back on stage tonight, October 5, at 7:30PM. In her quest for vengeance, Medea, sung by soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, becomes the ultimate wedding crasher as she tries to prevent the marriage of Glauce and Giasone, sung by soprano Janai Brugger and tenor Matthew Polenzani. Creonte, sung by bass Michele Pertusi, commands Medea to leave Corinth. Maestro Carlo Rizzi conducts David McVicar’s riveting new production. On stage through October 28: bit.ly/3b7jvVO In cinemas October 22: bit.ly/3NefUT9. Photos by Marty Sohl / Met Opera." Facebook. Oct. 5, 2022.
Available via Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/posts/pfbid033ZZGJa8KjhngjEgoxetPLjRgA7K5RhyrXkNaz24nhspMm7HVCtwYf5tTaYF92u27l

The Metropolitan Opera. "Giordano’s Fedora, starring Sonya Yoncheva in the title role, returns to the Met in a new production by David McVicar." The Metropolitan Opera > About > Press Releases. Dec. 23, 2023.
Available @ https://www.metopera.org/about/press-releases/giordanos-fedora-starring-sonya-yoncheva-in-the-title-role-returns-to-the-met-in-a-new-production-by-david-mcvicar/

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "Don’t you think soprano @sonyayoncheva looks a lot like John Singer Sargent’s Portrait of Madame X? Director David McVicar used the Madame X portrait as the starting point for his vision of the title princess of Giordano’s Fedora! On stage through Jan 28: http://bit.ly/3HoLbS2." Twitter. Jan. 19, 2023.
Available via Twitter @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1616205656628858895

"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

"New Production: Fedora." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357794 New Production Fedora {36} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2022, Broadcast (New Production {36} Peter Gelb General Manager Broadcast). Metropolitan Opera House December 31, 2022 New Year's Eve Gala New Production.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357794

"United States Premiere: Fedora." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 38090 United States Premiere Fedora {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/5/1906. Debut: Lina Cavalieri, Tullio Voghera.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=38090

Woolfe, Zachary. "Review: The Met Opera Found an Audience for ‘Fedora.’ For Now." The New York Times > Arts > Music > Critic's Pick. Jan. 1, 2023.
Available @ https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/01/arts/music/fedora-met-opera.html