Medea in Corinto

The ongoing revival of interest in long-neglected composer Giovanni Simone Mayr (1763–1845) reveals him to be an important bridge between Mozart and Rossini in the development of Italian opera, and this 2010 mounting of his 1813 magnum opus at the Nationaltheater in Munich confirms that he was indeed a formidable talent. The tale of the sorceress who helped the Greek hero Jason secure the golden fleece—only to be betrayed by him for another woman, leading her to take revenge by killing their children—has been the basis for many operas, but Mayr's proves to be a particularly fine one, replete with masterfully constructed arias and ensembles. This staging is not perfect: the score is slightly shortened (the overture is omitted, and one early scene is replaced with a brief instrumental interlude), the modern costumes sometimes distract, and director Hans Neuenfels fills the stage with extraneous business, such as gods cavorting around or characters being knifed, shot, or garroted in the background. But musically this is excellent, with superb singing from Nadja Michael as Medea and Ramón Vargas as Jason, and energetic orchestral playing under the baton of Ivor Bolton. Strong support comes from Alastair Miles as Jason's conniving father, Creonte; Elena Tsallagova as the “other woman,” Creusa; and Alek Shrader as Egeo, the king of Athens who's in love with Creusa. Presented in Dolby Digital 5.0 and PCM stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.0 and PCM stereo on Blu-ray, extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette and a piece on Mayr. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)