A rare live recording of Maria Callas' performance as Medea in Luigi Cherubini's Medea. The recording took place in Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on June 30th, 1959.
Medea............................Maria Callas Giasone..........................Jon Vickers Glauce............................Joan Carlyle Creonte...........................Nicola Zaccaria Neris...............................Fiorenza Cossotto Prima Ancella..................Mary Wells Second Ancella...............Elizabeth Rust Capo delle Guardie..........David Allen
Orchestra and Chorus of Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Dei tuoi figli la madre tu vedi vinta e afflitta, I am the mother of your sons, won and plagued fatta trista per te, e pur d ate proscritta. Hated and prosecuted for you, Tu lo sai quanto un giorno t'amò, crudel! Those precious days you loved cruel one! A te fu cara un dì, crudel! You met and loved her in a day! Cruelty! Sola qui, senza amor, scacciata, dolorosa, Alone here, without amor, driven away, painfully! Se mai mi fossi apparso io sarei buona ancora; If you throw me to the pits, I would never sink! Se mai mi fossi apparso, sarei pietosa! If you don't do this, I would be merciful! Il cor non sapea le orrende passioni; My heart, full of passions; Scorrea la notte in sogni buoni, Scour the night in good dreams Splendeva a me sereno il dì. The quiet day shone to calm me Ero felice allor, avevo un padre, I was happy there, I had a father Un nido : ho dato tutto a te: A nest: I have given you all you need and want! Torna sposo per me! And what do you return to me? Crudel! Crudel! Cruelty! Cruelty! Io non voglio che te solo. I do not want you alone! Medea t'implora qui, Medea, ai piedi tuoi starà ! I Medea implore you here, the feet will be mine! Pietà ! per tanto amor che volli a te, pietà ! Mercy! I loved you a lot, have mercy Torna a me! torna sposo per me! He returns to me! My husband returns to me!