Search - Pacini, Omilian, Lippi :: Medea

Hang on to your hat!

04/16/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is an amazing recording of a great opera by a one of the most celebrated composers of the 19th century. If you enjoyed the Medea of Cherubini, you ain't heard nothin' yet. This Medea is powerful, with intensely dramatic music, and singers that, even if they are not star quality, make up for it in spades with their involvement in the roles they sing. In particular, Jacinta Omilian is a menacing and shrill Medea. She shines in her entrance aria, which sounds like something out of the mouth of Verdi's Odabella or Abigaille. Her duet with bass-baritone Marcello Lippi (Creonte) is downright hair-raising. Yet she is capable of tender sentiment as well, and is moving in the slow section of her final aria. Musically, there are shades of Donizetti and early Verdi, but Pacini's score is his own. The ensembles are tremendous. My one reservation is the lack of an english translation (the libretto is Italian only) but this is a minor complaint when we are talking about such a great musical drama. Three cheers for Pacini!"