Cherubini’s Medea will open the Met’s 2022/23 season next September.

As part of an ever-growing outreach strategy, the Greek National Opera wishes to announce its first major co-production with three major North American opera houses: the Metropolitan Opera of New York, the Canadian Opera Company and the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The production is Cherubini’s Medea, which will open the Met’s 2022/23 season next September before heading to Greek National Opera in early 2023 and performing in Toronto and Chicago. This co-production is made possible thanks to a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) [www.SNF.org] to strengthen the artistic influence of the GNO.

Forgotten for many decades, Luigi Cherubini’s Medea – first performed in Paris in 1797 – was brought back to center stage when Maria Callas performed the title role for the first time in 1953 at the Festival Maggio Musicale Fiorentino . The revival met with great success and, thanks to Callas’ extraordinary musical and acting abilities, the music world rediscovered this exciting work. The Greek diva went on to perform the role of Medea on many other stages, culminating in her historic appearance with the Greek National Opera at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, directed by Alexis Minotis and with sets and costumes by Yannis Tsarouchis. .

Medea is to be presented in the GNO’s Stavros Niarchos Hall at the SNFCC during the first half of 2023, as part of the National Opera of Greece’s tribute to the centenary of the birth of Maria Callas.

This rarely performed masterpiece by Cherubini, with a libretto based on Euripides’ Medea, is to be presented in a monumental new production – classic and atmospheric, contemporary yet for the ages – directed and with sets by Sir David McVicar, one of the great British artists directors.

Costumes are by Doey Lüthi and lighting is by Paule Constable, with projection design by S. Katy Tucker and motion direction by Jo Meredith.
The partnership agreement between the Met and the GNO was sealed in New York in the fall of 2019, following a meeting between the artistic director of the GNO Giorgos Koumendakis and the general manager of the Met Opera Peter Gelb; representing the Canadian Opera Company during this initial planning phase was its then General Manager, Alexander Neef (now General Manager of the Opéra national de Paris).

Giorgos Koumendakis notes: “Today we are pleased to announce a co-production of great importance for the international ambitions of our organization, which we have been preparing for more than three years now with the full support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation ( SNF ) and its co-chair, Mr. Andreas Dracopoulos.

Medea marks the North American debut of Greek National Opera, and we look forward to bringing this production to Greek and international audiences. Thanks to this co-production, the Greek National Opera is spreading its wings to fly beyond Europe and partner with three of the most important opera houses in North America.

Medea is a well-considered choice – an opera supremely linked to Greece, not only because it is based on the ancient Euripidean tragedy, but also because the performance given by Maria Callas as part of the GNO production at Epidaurus in 1961 is considered a milestone. in contemporary Greek culture. And it is no coincidence that we have chosen to present this work in 2023, the year in which we will celebrate the centenary of Maria Callas – 100 years since the birth of the greatest opera singer of all time.

Further details – including performance dates, the creative team and the Athens cast – are to be announced in the near future.

https://www.nationalopera.gr/en/news-features/item/4259-cherubini-s-medea-the-greek-national-opera-s-first-co-production-with-the-metropolitan-opera- new York

GNO Lead Donor & Production Donor: Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)