Madrid, October 1, 2023.
After a last season dedicated to the myth of Orpheus, the Teatro Real continues to delve into characters from classical Greek mythology. The 2023-2024 season is dedicated to the myth of Medea, the semi-goddess sorceress who, in revenge for the infidelity of Jason, for whom she left everything behind, even her family and her country, kills her own children. And the first opera of this season is Cherubini's Medea, premiered in 1797 in Paris, in the midst of the French Revolution. This opera did not meet immediate success, until its German-sung premiere in Vienna, in 1802, when it would start its successful path, reinforced by a new translation in 1855. Beethoven, Brahms, Spohr, Schubert and Wagner, among other major German 19th century composers, praised this work, considering it as one of the peaks of the dramatic opera in those days. However, its modern re-integration in the repertoire is due to the fact that Maria Callas sang it (in the Italian version) for the first time in 1953, resulting in an iconic, landmark interpretation of this role, paving the way for other great sopranos in the following decades, to sing it. Curiously, because of Callas' centenary in 2023, the Teatro Real dedicates these run of performances to her memory, something curious because although she did sing in Madrid (1958, 1959 and 1973, not to mention her hologram, delighting the Madrid audiences since 2020 at the Príncipe Pío station theatre), she didn't do so at the opera house.
Cherubini's music, halfway between the virtuosity of the late 18th century and the romantic impetus that would come in the following century, attempts to set the tragic myth to music, from its well-known overture, tragic and unconventional for its time, to the prelude of the third act, the conflict of the protagonist while she dreams, in a somewhat modern musical language. In this occasion, the French original version, Medée, is offered, in a hybrid version of a French translation of the recitatives, now orchestrated by the late conductor Alan Curtis.
The message coming from the tragedy of Medea, both the myth and the work of Euripides, still prevails nowadays, specially in the cases of domestiv violence involving child abuse, when a spouse (usually a man) harms his or her children to harm to the other spouse (usually a woman), which in recent years has generate public debate in Spain. In this case, it is the woman who kills her children to harm her husband (rare but still some cases that have also been seen recently in Spain). It also depicts the betrayal of a man towards a woman who has done and left everything for him, and her revenge, taking her children as victims to plunge the father into the most absolute misery.
It is something that the director Paco Azorín, tries to make the audiences aware of in his vision of Medée, in a staging of great visual impact. As soon as people enter in the hall, Medée's children are seen playing before the play begins. As the overture begins, Medée is seen killing her children. It is the beginning of the tragedy. During the same orchestral introduction, she and Jason are seen dressed as in classical Greece, in front of the Golden Fleece. But this is a modern production. At the end of the overture, a huge platform with an elevator is seen, which will dominate the stage during the show, on which another rectangular stage sometimes descends, with two enormous blood stains on the floor, which acts as a temple and a palace. of Creon. In the background projections are seen, and during some instants a barren land with the Ukrainian flag being projected. Ana Garay's wardrobe is contemporary, with an abundance of dark colors. Medée and Jason's children are outlandish teenagers who make videos on TikTok. Creon is dressed as a fascist dictator. Furthermore, Medée has an avatar on stage, an actress without dialogue who is the mythological Medea, with whom she confesses her deepest and tormented thoughts. The wedding between Jason and Dirce is celebrated according to the Greek Orthodox rite, with priests of this faith on stage. In the brief pause between the second and third acts, the Declaration of the Rights of the Child appears projected, and the fact of doing it while the instruments are being tuned makes it a creepy experience. During the long orchestral introduction of the third act, this Medée tries to kill her children unsuccessfully, while the real Medée sits asleep, since it is a recreation of her dream. Dircé's death is seen, showing how smoke emanates from the poisoned dress that Medée gives her as a present of her marriage. In the end, Medée rises towards the sky, while Jason falls into tremendous dispair, real fire appears on the stage. Medée's children no longer appear, because now they have been finally murdered, and the people flee in horror.
The Teatro Real Orchestra, conducted by Ivor Bolton, improved their rendition during the performance. The tragic and well-known overture was performed in a just correct, almost rutinary way despite Bolton's command of 18th Century music. However, from the second act onwards things did improve, the strings from that moment, reached a more dramatic and vibrant sound. The bassoon in Neris's aria was excellent, and the percussion also had its moment of glory during this act. The orchestra's highlight during the show, was undoubtedly the long orchestral prelude to the third act, with the orchestra reaching their peak. On the other hand, the Chorus, now with a new master, José Luis Basso, had an excellent intervention, especially in the wedding scene of Dircé and Jason, with the chorus "Fils de Bacchus, descend des Cieux", in which the male voices sang with stamina, making that moment to sound with great solemnity, which was heard well throughout the room. They were replicated by the female voices, who also had their best moment there.
Maria Agresta and Enea Scala in this performance.
Medée is an opera that needs a protagonist who needs a charismatic command of the stage, a primadonna able to cope with the dramatic force of the work. Maria Pia Piscitelli, who has sung only two performances with the first cast, replacing Maria Agresta, is a competent singer, with a correct voice, a middle zone that does not sound bad, but that needs that aforementioned charisma, throughout the entire work. It is a voice with a tone with a dark touch, but the treble if it goes too high can be strident. Then she improved a lot from the middle of the second, reaching a notable intervention in her big scene at the beginning of the third act.
Enea Scala played Jason. The Italian tenor suffers from some kind of flu, as announced by the theatre shortly before the show, but he wanted to show defference with the audience, by coming out to sing. Scala has a lyrical-toned voice, but as he moves towards the high voice, he sometimes sounds a little strident. He should be seen, completely healthy, for a better appreciation, even more so if his tone seems pleasant. In terms of acting, his spectacular physique du rôle is suitable for the hero.
Jongmin Park was one of the great voices of the night, like King Creon, with his generous vocal volume and deep bass tone, standing out in the confrontation scene with Medea in the second act.
Sara Blanch was an excellent Dircé, showing her wonderful high notes in her complicated aria in the first act. Nancy Fabiola Herrera was another of the great voices of the night, as the long-suffering and loyal Neris, Medea's servant. Thus she sang her beautiful and heartbreaking Act Two aria Ah! Nos combs seront communes, her velvet-sounded, mature voice, whose beautiful tone joined that of the bassoon, in one of the best moments of the night.
With just a remaining last performance, the Teatro Real must be given the credit for staging a work composed for great voices, and despite the universality of its history, it is not seen frequently on the stages of major opera houses, as it should be. Last night's leading couple may have lacked a little more vocal charisma, but they gave themselves over to the drama. And as a result, it brought several ovations to the artists, especially Piscitelli.
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