Zachary Woolfe Recommends Cavalli's Mega-Hit "Giasone"

Jason & Medea (Giovanni Crosato)

Writer Zachary Woolfe makes a recommendation for New Yorkers in today's edition of the Times: "Opera Omnia (Friday, Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday) Giasone, which had its premiere in Venice in 1649, was Cavalli’s most popular opera in his own time but is a rarity now. That’s a shame, as it features gorgeous music, complex characters and a knowing libretto that treats the story of Jason’s quest for the Golden Fleece with a mixture of emotion and absurdity. This excellent young company is mounting it (in English) in a production directed by Crystal Manich and conducted by Avi Stein, with a cast that includes the dazzling mezzo-soprano Hai-Ting Chinn as (who else?) Medea. At 7 p.m., Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, near Thompson Street, Greenwich Village, (212) 505-3474, lepoissonrouge.com; $30 for general seating, $15 for bar/mezzanine seating." [Source]


"Delizie, contenti" Giasone (Cavalli) sung by René Jacobs
"Dell'antro magico" Giasone (Cavalli) sung by Gloria Banditelli

Jason and Medea (John William Waterhouse)

"Opera Omnia presents Francesco Cavalli's Giasone, fully staged in English translation, as a long overdue follow-up to Opera Omnia's sold-out run of Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea in 2008. Giasone was the most popular opera of the 17th century; this raucous telling of the Jason and Medea myth features tortured lovers, a bitter old maid, a buffoon servant...and a stuttering hunchback. Using a style that incorporates commedia dell'arte and cabaret, Opera Omnia's version of the quest for the Golden Fleece is sure to delight. Returning Opera Omnia cast members include Hai-Ting Chinn (Medea) and Cherry Duke (Jason), who will be joined by Kathaine Dain (Hipsipyle), Karim Sulayman (Delfa), and Nathan Baer (Besso), with music direction by Avi Stein and stage direction by Crystal Manich, produced by Wesley Chinn. [Source]

Watch some videos featuring Hai-Ting Chinn after the jump.



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