Cherubini: Medea

Luigi Cherubini (Composer), Vittorio Gui (Conductor), Firenze Community Theater Orchestra (Orchestra), Carlos Guichandut (Performer), Fedora Barbieri (Performer), Gabriella Tucci (Performer), Maria Callas (Performer), Mario Frosini (Performer), Mario Petri (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Carlos Guichandut, Fedora Barbieri, Gabriella Tucci, Maria Callas, Mario Frosini, et al.
• Orchestra: Firenze Community Theater Orchestra
• Conductor: Vittorio Gui
• Composer: Luigi Cherubini
• Audio CD (October 26, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Melodram
• ASIN: B0000296VS
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #703,112 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Ouverture Atto Primo)

2. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Quando già corona Amore... (Ancelle,Coro,Glauce)

3. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: O Amore, vieni a me!... (Glauce)

4. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: No, non temer... (Creonte, Glauce)

5. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Marcia e Coro O bella Glauce

6. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Ah! Cilco! Pensier fatal!

7. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Or che più non vedrò

8. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Ah! già troppo turbò

9. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Pro nube dive, Dei custodi

10. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Signor! Ferma una donna

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Date almen per pietà

2. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Medea! O Medea!

3. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Solo un pianto

4. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Creonte a me solo un giorno dà?

5. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Figli miei tesor

6. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Hai dato pronto ascolto

7. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Marcia e Coro Ah, triste canto!

8. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Introduzione

9. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Numi, venite a me, inferni Dei!

10. Médée (Medea), opera in 3 acts: Del fiero duol

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars CALLAS' FIRST 'MEDEA' AN OVERWHELMING EXPERIENCE, December 31, 1999

By 

"lesismore26" (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cherubini: Medea (Audio CD)

This two CD set captures Callas' first stage performances of Cherubini's "Medea", which took place at the Florence May Festival in 1953. The Callas voice is of gargantuan size here, and the impression she makes is that of a fire-eating dragon. Impressive, fun, and exciting as it is, however, the later vocal and dramatic refinements that Callas was to achieve in this role in future years were not yet fully evident, though what she produces here is still light years beyond any possible competition before or since (what other soprano has been able to sustain this impossible role?) ---- and what a huge and powerful sound Callas was able to make in 1953! Moreover, there is extra music for Medea included here that is heard in no other Callas version (and there are several live recordings as well as the studio version), and it is music that shows just how much of a virtuoso Callas was. Fedora Barbieri is heavy and good sounding Neris, and at the side of Callas, quite dramatic. Guichandut's Jason is acceptable. Gui conducts a spectacular and expansive performance for an audience who was hearing this searing opera for the first time, owing, of course, to the emergence of Callas. An historic performance starring an historic diva, and its wonderful fun to listen to!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Callas, Barbieri, and Gui, Together!, October 11, 2004

By 

F. Barton "Forrest W. Barton" (Newport, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cherubini: Medea (Audio CD)

The incredible details of this performance are rather unimportant to me. I know that many of Maria's fans prefer her later performances to this one. Probably for the simple fact that in the last portion of the opera, she goes off mike, and one cannot hear her as clearly as in other performances.

BUT, the conducting of GUI cannot be ignored here, as it seems to be elsewhere. His putting of low cello strings, in place of the bassoon, in the all important, simply beautiful Barbieri solo, is outstanding!!! All other Callas performances have the bassoon, and I don't like it nearly as much as the low strings, that he places so expertly.

Also the sound, while slight, is better on this, Callas' debut, than on the La Scala '53, where we are not treated to the sensitive treatment of Gui. He repeats this low string arrangement, on the Borkh Medea years later, and it is just as effective.

Maria Callas will remain the top Medea for any age. Her fury, fire and vocal pyrotecnics that are presented on this night, kept me playing it over ten times upon first hearing. Why this role was not filmed, instead of Tosca, is just beyond me. It is rumored that Dame Judith Anderson copied some of Callas' mannerisms, or vice versa. Whichever, at least we have this great sounding CD. A+++ all the way, to me at least, thanks to the underrated conducting of Gui.