For the opera Medea I take a walk to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to find an artwork featuring the myth of Medea.
While the steps and interior of the grand entrance are a sight to behold, if you’ve already been here then I recommend trying the secret entrance downstairs with shorter lines, a quiet bathroom, and coat room.
I do find a fragment of Medea in the museum, even if it requires a little imagination to fill in the story.
Medea was a sorceress from Greek literature who saved Jason (of the Argonauts) on his adventure to secure the Golden Fleece. She returns with him, they get married, and then have two children. Everything is wonderful, that is until he leaves her for another woman. Medea will then go on to give fresh meaning to quote from William Congreve, “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.”*
The point of decision in the opera is when Medea will decide which is stronger, her love for her children or hatred for Jason. If it’s the former she will kill the children to make Jason suffer.
This was a Herculean performance from Sondra Radvanovsky. Brava, truly. I was completely invested into her character all the way up to her moment of choice and I wanted to scream, “Medea, no! Living a happy life is the best revenge, not this.”
The mirror was very effective in the final act to see the children surrounded by fire, making me recall Brunnhilde from the Ring.
It has been a cautious return to theaters since the pandemic, but it looks like soon they will no longer require the audience to wear masks. I hope this is the last picture you see with us wearing them. I’ve gotten used to them, but they fog up my glasses.
*William Congreve, The Mourning Bride
Notes on the Production:
Composer………………………….. Luigi Cherubini
Medea…………………………………. Sondra Radvanovsky
Giasone………………………………. Matthew Polenzani
Glauce………………………………… Janai Brugger
Creonte……………………………… Michael Pertusi
Neris……………………………………. Ekaterina Gubanova
Medea’s children…………….. Axel and Magnus Newville
Handmaidens…………………… Brittany Renee and Sarah Larsen
Conductor………………………….. Carlo Rizzi
Met Opera
10/8/22