Médée

Cherubini's Medea is not a personal favourite opera (having only been introduced to it two years ago by Maria Callas), but the story is compelling if melodramatic, the music is wonderful and the title character herself is very interesting. Théâtre Impérial De Compiègne have been responsible to some good to outstanding revival productions of lesser known operas, and their production of the French version of Medea is no exception, interesting for the doubling of both acting and dubbed singing.

Like some of their other productions, it is marred by a poor DVD, with grainy picture quality, dull sound that tends to favour the orchestra over the singers and no subtitles, which is going to make it very difficult for those unfamiliar with the French language or the story of Medea to follow the story. The camera work however is quite good, never too flashy or too static. There is not an awful lot wrong with the production itself, other than some of the melodrama being a tad over-the-top in places and Michèle Command's singing is at times somewhat strident and she doesn't quite bring the same level of passion that Francine Bergé does with the acting.

Bergé however is just remarkable, attacking Medea with fearless passion, fierce intensity (very appropriate as Medea is somewhat of a tigress) and sometimes a poignancy and humanity that stops Medea from being too one-dimensional. The rest of the acting is fine too, if not quite up to the same level. With the singing, which is mostly of a very high standard, standing out in particular were Inva Mula, who has such a beautiful voice and great agility and a beguiling stage presence that works wonders with her introductory aria, Lucile Vignon as a firm voiced and dutiful Neris (especially superb in Act 3) and Jean-Phillippe Courtis as a powerful Créon.

The orchestral playing has plenty of power, nuance and flexibility as one would hope and expect, the chorus are attentive and sing beautifully (though the sound does make them sound a touch too distant at times) and the conducting is relaxed but never plodding and dramatic but never erratic.

Pierre Jourdan's staging is intelligent, incredibly moving, intensely passionate and always engaging, with the odd funny moment. The spoken dialogue is good and is well-delivered. The production boasts some fantastically elaborate costumes and sumptuous sets that captures the grandeur of the building very well. Overall, a good performance, often very good, with a poor DVD sadly to accompany it. 7/10 Bethany Cox