Banished, betrayed, besieged on all sides, the barbarian sorceress Medea exacts a terrible vengeance upon her faithless lover and all those he holds most dear.
Following the ‘knockout success’ (whatsonstage.com) of Rameau’s Castor and Pollux, ENO continues its pioneering exploration of French baroque operatic masterpieces with the first-ever UK/London staging of Charpentier’s dramatic full-scale opera.
Celebrated opera director David McVicar makes a welcome return to ENO to rework one of the most enduringly disturbing of all the Greek myths – that of a mother who murders her own children – Charpentier’s thrillingly orchestrated score boasts a harmonic daring and psychological complexity unparalleled in its day.
The exemplary cast includes internationally acclaimed British mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly in the title role, US tenor Jeffrey Francis making his ENO debut as Jason and exceptional baritone Roderick Williams as Orontes. Medea is conducted by period specialist Christian Curnyn.
'David McVicar’s production of Charpentier’s Médée... is the most brilliant show to have graced the Coliseum in years' The Independent
'Sarah Connolly and David McVicar lead a triumphant return to French baroque for ENO' theartsdesk.com
'Connolly, at the peak of her powers' The Guardian
'The towering central performance of Sarah Connolly. Singing with coruscating power, acting with white-hot intensity' The Times
'Sarah Connolly stands apart... she is at once magnificent and horrifying' theartsdesk.com
'There is accomplished singing from Brindley Sherratt (Creon), Roderick Williams (Orontes), Katherine Manley (Creusa) and Rhian Lois (Nerina)' Daily Telegraph
'An exceptionally strong cast of singer-actors, and by a top-notch period ensemble under Christian Curnyn’s direction' The Independent
'Fervently conducted by Christian Curnyn, sung and played with passion and style' The Times
'All credit to the chorus too, and to the conductor Christian Curnyn, who gave the music swagger and bounce' Daily Telegraph
'Lynne Page’s musical theatre choreography, with prancing sailors and chorus girls, is incongruous, wittily inventive and thoroughly enjoyable.'
Whatsonstage.com
'Director and production team (sets Bunny Christie, lighting Paul Constable) are on top form' Whatsonstage.com
Running for only a few performances book your Medea tickets now!