Stanislavsky Theatre

Luigi Cherubini’s Medea is one of the great masterpieces of French opera at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Cherubini, a founder of the Paris Conservatoire and a composer whom Beethoven himself called the greatest of his contemporaries, witnessed and chronicled the French Revolution. In Medea, he created a work of operatic scale equal to the ancient Greek myth that inspired it. Recognized as one of the most powerful tragedies in the operatic repertoire, Medea demands not only extraordinary vocal skill but also exceptional dramatic artistry.

The opera experienced a renaissance in the mid-20th century thanks to Maria Callas, whose legendary portrayal of Medea set an enduring benchmark for the role. Ever since, sopranos approaching this part have been expected to deliver a rare combination of vocal brilliance and dramatic intensity.

It is precisely for this reason that the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre turned to Cherubini’s masterpiece. The company boasts two remarkable singers capable of embodying Medea’s grandeur and passion: the world-renowned soprano Hibla Gerzmava and one of Moscow’s brightest operatic stars, Natalia Muradymova.

The production is performed in the Italian translation by Carlo Zangarini, with recitatives by Franz Lachner, honoring the performance tradition that has kept Cherubini’s work alive on the international stage.