Possibly mythology’s most unfathomable character: Medea, the sorceress, betrayed by her husband Jason, takes revenge by offering the latter’s lover a poisoned dress and then killing her own children. Such a destiny, so often portrayed in the arts, could not but be embodied at the Opera. In 1693, Marc‑Antoine Charpentier premiered his only “tragédie lyrique”, based on a libretto by Thomas Corneille, at the Académie royale de Musique – forerunner of the Paris Opera – in the presence of Louis XIV. Three centuries after its creation, this baroque score of great orchestral wealth returns for the first time to the stage of the Paris Opera, under the baton of William Christie. Renowned for his exceptionally articulate interpretations, director David McVicar transposes the action to the Second World War, thus reinforcing the heroine’s tragic character.
CHARPENTIER’S SOLE TRAGEDIE LYRIQUE
On 4 December 1693, the Académie royale de musique (the precursor of the Paris Opera)
premiered Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s Médée. Charpentier, renowned for his sacred music, had to
wait until he was 50 and until Lully had died before he could present his first – and only – true “tragédie
lyrique”. But the premiere was a resounding failure: too dark, too dramatic, too “Italian”… The work fell
into oblivion for almost 300 years, and is returning to our stage today for the first time.
BAROQUE REPERTOIRE EXPERTS
William Christie, a pioneer in the rediscovery of the Baroque repertoire, and more particularly the music
of Charpentier – his ensemble Les Arts Florissants takes its name from a work by the composer – needs
no introduction. He entrusts the title role to mezzo Lea Desandre, accompanied by Reinoud van Mechelen (Jason), Ana Vieira Leite (Créuse), Laurent Naouri (Créon) and Julie Roset (L’Amour).
A FOUNDING MYTH
Medea is undoubtedly one of the most famous characters in Greek mythology. Her fateful destiny, her intransigence and her complexity have not ceased to fascinate over the centuries: in opera, from Charpentier to Dusapin by way of Cherubini, and even Pasolini’s film with Maria Callas… Betrayed and humiliated by her husband Jason, for whom she abandoned everything, driven out by King Creon, who refuses to protect her, the magician Medea indulges in vengeance to the point of committing the most appalling of crimes: infanticide.
A COLOURFUL STAGING
Premiered in 2013 at English National Opera, the production directed by David McVicar combines
Baroque references – the palace in which the action is set – with references to the Second World War – Oronte is a member of the Royal Air Force and Jason is in the Navy – and also to cabaret for the entertainment. A transposition that in no way prevents the supernatural from appearing in the infernal or magical scenes.