Medea by Luigi Cherubini on June 20th, 2026: a new revival of the historic 1961 GNO production at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus
Greek National Opera is proud to announce its upcoming staging of Luigi Cherubini’s Medea on Saturday June 20th, 2026, at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, conducted by Jacques Lacombe and directed by Panagiotis Pagoulatos, with Anna Pirozzi in the title role (more information here). This is a revival of the famous 1961 Medea marked by Maria Callas’s celebrated performance and directed by Alexis Minotis, with sets and costumes by famous artist Yannis Tsarouchis and choreography by Maria Hors.
Cherubini’s Medea, a work based on Euripides’s tragedy of the same name, was rescued from oblivion and returned to the international spotlight thanks to Callas herself, who first sang the role in 1953 at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Festival. Her subsequent performance for Greek National Opera at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus was a personal triumph and a defining moment for contemporary Greek cultural history, leaving an indelible mark on the collective memory of her country. In fact, the 1961 production of Medea was one of the most significant artistic events in postwar Greece and put GNO on the map of the world’s leading opera houses, drawing international attention to the work of Greek artists.
When the newly founded Dallas Opera engaged Maria Callas for their production of Medea, La Divina requested that it be directed by Alexis Minotis, the Greek actor who went from playing the butler in the Hollywood film Notorious to making a name for himself as an eminent director of Ancient Greek tragedy on stage. Reluctant at first, since he had never worked on an opera before, he decided to take the plunge, recruiting Greek painter Yannis Tsarouchis as his set and costume designer. The premiere in Dallas was a resounding success, with rave reviews hailing a ‘supernatural’ Callas and the ‘130 individual costumes by Tsarouchis made in Greece.’ Minotis offered up an ‘authentic Hellenic staging of blistering dramatic intensity’. Following its premiere in Dallas, the production went to the Royal Opera House in London in 1959, moving on to Epidaurus in 1961 and concluding its triumphant run in 1962 at La Scala in Milan.
Sixty-five years later, GNO is bringing this historic performance back to life as part of the thematic focus of the 2025/26 season ‘Past opera gives birth to the opera of the future’ under the aegis of artistic director Giorgos Koumendakis.
Thanks to Minotis’s notebooks, Tsarouchis’s drawings and surviving photographic material from the rehearsals and performances at Epidaurus, the reconstruction of the 1961 production has been based on and inspired by legacy of these artists.
GNO has recruited an exceptional cast of international renown for their endeavor, as well as singers from the Greek opera scene. The title role will be performed by Italian soprano Anna Pirozzi, who made her debut as Medea in GNO’s 2023 production directed by David McVicar.
Tickets are hard to come by, but the good news is that you don’t need one for GNO’s Point of Callas exhibition on the grounds of the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus, curated by the renowned Greek set designer Dionysis Fotopoulos and with video art and video installations created by visual artist/video designer Pantelis Makkas. Admission is free and the exhibition will be open to the public from 18 to 21 June.
Bettina Mara
Featured Image. From the original 1961 Medea production © Greek National Opera Archive
The original 1961 production:
Director – Alexis Minotis
Scenery, costumes – Yannis Tsarouchis
Choreography – Maria Hors
Revival of the historic production:
Artistic director – Giorgos Koumendakis
Conductor – Jacques Lacombe
Stage director – Panaghis Pagoulatos
Sets – Lili Pezanou
Costumes – Tota Pritsa
Choreography – Gianna Filippopoulou, Kelly Zampela
Lighting – Christos Tziogas
Chorus master – Agathangelos Georgakatos
Medea – Anna Pirozzi
Glauce – Danae Kontora
Neris – Alisa Kolosova
Jason – Jean-François Borras
Creon – Tassis Christoyannis
Captain of the Guard – Yannis Stamatakis
First maid – Emilia Tsimidaki
Second maid – Irena Athanasiou
Greek National Opera Chorus and Orchestra