The Met: Live in HD presents

Medea

By Cherubini

Metropolitan Opera
Italian w/e.s.t.

Having triumphed at the Met in some of the repertory’s fiercest soprano roles, Sondra Radvanovsky stars as the mythic sorceress who will stop at nothing in her quest for vengeance. Joining Radvanovsky in the Met-premiere production of Cherubini’s rarely performed masterpiece is tenor Matthew Polenzani as Medea’s Argonaut husband, Giasone; soprano Janai Brugger as her rival for his love, Glauce; bass Michele Pertusi as her father, Creonte, the King of Corinth; and mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as Medea’s confidante, Neris.

Act I

Ancient Corinth. Outside Creonte’s palace on the day before her wedding, Glauce, princess of Corinth, is preparing for her wedding to the hero Giasone. Yet on a day when she should be filled with joy, her overarching emotion is that of fear: For years, Giasone has been in a relationship with the sorceress Medea, the mother of his children. Glauce knows that Medea and Giasone have a long and complicated history—the sorceress used her magic to help him steal the treasure known as the Golden Fleece, murdered her own brother and Giasone’s uncle in her efforts to help him regain his throne, and ultimately accompanied him into exile in Corinth. Aware of this past, Glauce worries that Medea, who is still in love with Giasone, may do something to stop the wedding. Giasone promises Glauce that he no longer has any interest in Medea, and preparations for the wedding feast begin. The celebrations are interrupted when Medea appears and demands that Giasone return to her. Giasone rejects Medea’s pleas, saying that he has chosen Glauce. Medea, hurt and enraged, curses Giasone, calling on the gods of Olympus to help her take revenge.

Act II

Inside the palace, Medea is still burning with fury over Giasone’s betrayal. Concerned by Medea’s obvious distress, Neris suggests that she leave Corinth. King Creonte arrives, and he, too, asks Medea to leave the city. Medea pleads with Creonte to be allowed just one more day with her children. When Creonte agrees, she seems to calm down, and she even orders Neris to deliver a gown and crown as presents to the bride-to-be. As the wedding procession passes by, however, Medea expresses cruel wishes for the newlyweds.

Act III

Between the palace and the temple, Medea greets her two children as a dark storm appears in the sky. Suddenly, cries of lamentation issue from the palace: Medea’s presents were soaked in poison, and Glauce has died as a result. As an outraged crowd assembles, Medea, her children, and Neris escape and hide in a nearby temple. When Medea and Neris finally emerge from the temple, the sorceress is holding a bloody knife. Thinking only of hurting Giasone as much as possible, she has murdered her own sons. Giasone, realizing what has happened, collapses in grief. Medea delivers a final curse and sets the temple on fire. Thunder roars and lightning flashes through the sky as the terrified crowd flees the blazing temple.

Saturday, October 22, 2022
This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Encores will be shown Saturday, November 12th and Monday, November 14th.

To purchase your tickets visit: www.cineplex.com/events/arts-culture