When Maria Callas Revived an Epic Opera

"Jason and Medea," 1907, by John William Waterhouse. Luigi Cherubini composed an opera about the story of Medea. Public Domain

Maria Callas (1923–1977) was one of the most famous sopranos of the latter part of the 20th century. One of her most celebrated roles was the title character in “Medea” (“Médée), a French opéra-comique by Luigi Cherubini (1760–1842). The opera remains an obscure work because few sopranos are brave enough to tackle it. Callas performed the opera in a 1953 revival, and it became one of her defining roles.

Cherubini’s Opera

“Medea” was first performed in Paris on March 13, 1797. The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia described “Medea” as possessing a “score combining classical grandeur and psychological penetration.” The libretto (lyrics and occasional dialogue of an opera) was written by French playwright François-Benoît Hoffman.

The story is based on the ancient Greek myth-inspired tragedy of Medea by Euripides. The opera was moderately successful upon its original debut but wasn’t immediately revived. Nevertheless, it was the most remembered work of both the composer and librettist.

The Italian-born composer moved to France in 1784 at the age of 25. He spent the rest of his life there, changing his name to Marie-Louis-Charles-Zénobi-Salvador Cherubini. His name sounds more like a character in an opera than that of a composer.

Luigi Cherubini. Public Domain

Cherubini doesn’t rank with the likes of Mozart, Beethoven, and Wagner in terms of popularity today. Even in his own day, he was not one of the most successful operatic composers. He had a few hits, but he struggled to find his place in France’s tempestuous musical climate, which was torn between classicism and romanticism.

Nevertheless, he was greatly respected by composers who achieved greater fame, particularly Germans. According to journalist Matthew Boyden’s “The Rough Guide to Opera” (2007), “Beethoven pronounced him his only equal, [Carl Maria von] Weber referred to him as an inspiration, and Wagner thought him a ‘master of his craft.’” The author later proclaims “Medea” as “the worthiest successor” of “all the works inspired by Gluck’s reformed operas.” Boyden concludes that “Medea” was a forerunner of 19th- and early 20th-century grand operatic tragedies in that it focused on a single central heroine.

Title page of the first edition of Cherubini's Médée, full score, 1797. Public Domain

This opera has been revived several times. In the 12 years after its debut, the libretto was translated into German in revivals in 1800, 1802, and 1809. In the 1809 version, Cherubini himself shortened the composition by removing 500 bars of music. In 1855, a fourth German translation was produced by German composer and conductor Franz Lachner, based on the 1809 Vienna revival.

The spoken dialogue, typical of opéra-comique, was replaced by recitatives, meaning sung text with flexible rhythm over sparse accompaniment. In 1865, “Medea” received its United Kingdom debut, this time in Italian with recitatives by Luigi Arditi. In 1909, the opera finally received its Italian debut at Milan’s famous Teatro alla Scala. Carlo Zangarini created the Italian version based on Lachner’s 1855 German translation.

Callas as Medea

Maria Callas was an incredibly dramatic, powerful singer who was unafraid to tackle a challenge. Defined as a mezzo-soprano in tone but a coloratura soprano because of vocal agility and impressive high notes, she sang repertoire in many different styles. She found a defining role in Medea, reintroducing the opera to her worldwide repertoire.

Callas and Italian tenor Mirto Picchi, performers in Cherubini's Medea, Milan, 1957, by Carlo Cisventi. Archivio Storico Ricordi/CC BY-SA 4.0

The role of Medea was originated by French soprano Julie-Angélique Scio, who was reportedly brilliant in the part. Her death at age 39 just 10 years later has been attributed to the stress of the part, which is perhaps why many sopranos have been afraid to tackle the part. The role has many high notes, yet it also goes quite low for the soprano range. It requires extremely dramatic singing because of the heavy orchestration and the character’s intense emotional depth.

As a Greek American, Maria Callas was perfectly suited to the role of this ancient Greek sorceress. When the opera opens, Medea has stolen the Golden Fleece with Jason. She left her family and devoted herself to Jason, with whom she has had two children. She becomes enraged when she learns that Jason plans to marry Glauce (Dircé in French), daughter of King Creon.

When Jason refuses to return to her, she vows revenge and is banished from Corinth. She begs the king to allow her one more day with her children, which he grants. In return, she sends poisoned wedding gifts to Glauce, who dies. As the people demand vengeance for the princess’s death, Medea appears from the Temple of Apollo with a bloody knife, with which she just murdered her children. The temple bursts into flames, and Medea disappears with her Furies.

Callas had one week to learn the role of Medea before the 1953 revival at the Florence May Festival, which Vittorio Gui conducted. It was so successful that Teatro alla Scala opened its 1953–1954 season with a production of “Medea,” where Callas reprised her performance. Leonard Bernstein conducted as a last-minute substitute for Victor de Sabata.

She performed the role all over Europe throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Callas brought it to the United States for the first time with a production at Dallas Opera in 1958. Amazingly, “Medea” did not make it to the Metropolitan Opera stage until 2022, but not for lack of trying. Rudolf Bing, the Met’s powerful general manager for many years, tried to arrange for Maria Callas to sing Medea at the Met throughout the 1960s. Despite a famous blow-up between the manager and diva in 1958, she was open to the idea. Various circumstances prevented the Cherubini classic from making it to the Met with Callas in the lead. The recent production’s Medea, Sondra Radvanovsky, lovingly paid tribute to Callas’s legacy in the role.

Rediscovering Medea

In 1957, Callas made her only studio recording of “Medea.” Under the baton of Tullio Serafin with the Teatro alla Scala Chorus and Orchestra, it featured tenor Mirto Picchi as Jason, soprano Renata Scotto as Glauce, and bass Giuseppe Modesti as King Creon. The recording quality is splendid and offers clarity that few live recordings can, if perhaps less dramatic intensity than a live performance. You can buy the CD or listen to the full recording on YouTube.

Those who prefer the spontaneity of live performance can see many “bootleg” recordings from various productions. A few video clips, offer a rare opportunity to see Callas performing the role. There’s a very clear full recording of that first performance in May 1953. There also is a beautifully remastered recording of the Teatro alla Scala performance from 1953. If you want to hear Callas live in this role from around the same time as the studio recording, there’s a good recording of a Dallas performance.

Medea (Maria Callas), in "Medea." Criterion Collection

Callas played Medea in her only film, Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1969 non-musical film based on the Greek legend. It’s a rare opportunity to see her acting abilities in the intimate medium of film.

“Medea” is a testament to the power of music, mythology, and La Divina, a truly great singer. Since last year marked La Divina’s 100th birthday, Netflix will be releasing a biopic entitled “Maria” starring Angelina Jolie as Callas in her later years.

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