Maria Callas
Teatro alla Scala, Milano 10 Dec 1953
Live Remastered 2017
2CD 0190295844608 - DIGITAL

Cherubini: Medea

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Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Milano

Leonard Bernstein

The character of Medea became closely associated with Maria Callas. In 1969, several years after she had left the opera stage, she even played the betrayed and finally infanticidal sorceress in a film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Her second run of appearances in Cherubini’s opera was at La Scala in 1953 with Leonard Bernstein conducting. He later described her as “a power station” in the role, and soprano and conductor did indeed strike sparks off each other in the theatre: this performance is incandescent. In 1962, Medea brought Callas her final appearances at La Scala, the opera house that in the 1950s had become her artistic home.

Cherubini: Medea

Medea: Maria Callas
Neris: Fedora Barbieri
Glauce: Maria Luisa Nache
Giasone: Gino Penno
Creonte: Giuseppe Modesti
Prima ancella - First Attendant: Angela Vercelli
Seconda ancella - Second Attendant: Maria Amadini
Capo delle guardie - Captain of the guards: Enrico Campi