Inheriting Callas’ crown in Athens: Pirozzi takes on Medea

Anna Pirozzi (Medea)

Medea, Act 2

Anna Pirozzi (Medea) and Nefeli Kotseli (Neris)

Anna Pirozzi (Medea), Yanni Yannissis (Creon), Vassiliki Karayanni (Glauce) and ensemble

Medea drop curtain

By Mark Pullinger, 26 April 2023

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“in an opera dripping with venom and vengeance, Pirozzi’s Medea writhed like a serpent”

Reviewed at SNFCC, Greek National Opera: Stavros Niarchos Hall, Athens on 25 April 2023

Cherubini, Médée/Medea

Greek National Opera

Philippe Auguin, Conductor

Sir David McVicar, Director, Set Designer

Doey Lüthi, Costume Designer

Paule Constable, Lighting Designer

Greek National Opera Orchestra

Greek National Opera Chorus

S Katy Tucker, Projection Design

Jonathon Loy, Revival Director

Hannah Postlethwaite, Associate Set Designer

Anna Pirozzi, Medea

Giorgio Berrugi, Giasone

Yanni Yannissis, Creonte

Vassiliki Karayanni, Glauce

Nefeli Kotseli, Néris

Despoina Skarlatou, First Maid

Martha Sotiriou, Second Maid

Nikolas Douros, Captain of the Guard

Agathangelos Georgakatos, Choirmaster / chorus director

Jo Meredith, Choreography

Héroïque Gioconda à l’Opéra national de Grèce

Arnaud Saura-Ziegelmeyer, 1st November

L'opéra d’Amilcare Ponchielli ouvre de fort belle manière la saison athénienne, avec une mise en scène audacieuse et convaincante d'Oliver Mears et un beau plateau vocal.

****1

Ein Star macht noch keine Sternstunde: Madama Butterfly in Athen

Isabella Steppan, 25th November

Ermonela Jaho in Höchstform und eine Inszenierung mit starken Bildern stechen aus einer ansonsten blassen Vorstellung an der Greek National Opera heraus.

***11

The Ring returns to the Rhine: Götterdämmerung at La Scala

Laura Servidei, 1st February

Under Alexander Soddy’s powerful conducting and Sir David McVicar’s dark, evocative staging, the Ring finds a searing conclusion, anchored by a powerful Brünnhilde from Camilla Nylund, as the world burns.

*****

Sir David McVicar’s psychologically driven Salome arrives in Chicago

Graham Meyer, 25th January

Revived at Lyric Opera of Chicago, the notorious opera director’s take stirs sympathy for Salome, but leans on some of his theatrical hobby-horses

****1

The Magic Flute returns in triumph to the Royal Opera House

Christopher Woodley, 10th October

Sir David McVicar's classic staging of The Magic Flute, now over 20 years old, shines afresh in a stylish performance conducted by Marie Jacquot, making her Covent Garden debut.

****1

Siobhan Stagg leads a strong Marriage of Figaro revival in Sydney

Sandra Bowdler, 31st July

Siobhan Stagg is an outstanding Susanna in a strongly cast and well produced Marriage of Figaro at the Sydney Opera House

****1

More reviews...

Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Inheriting Callas’ crown in Athens: Pirozzi takes on Medea… and wins