Created in 1797 at the Opéra-Comique, Cherubini's Médée is one of those works that laid the foundations for the French Romantic movement, seemingly belonging entirely to the 19^th century. However, research into the archives of the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opera) reveals that Hoffman's libretto was originally intended for the composer Lemoyne, who was keen to showcase the famous Mme Saint-Huberty, then triumphing in lyrical tragedies. Entirely sung, including choruses and ballets, Médée was therefore a “modern” opera, in the tradition of those by Gluck, a late testimony to French lyric art under the reign of Louis XVI. Cherubini subsequently tried in vain to have the work included in the repertoire of the Académie Royale.

The Palazzetto Bru Zane and the CMBV are now presenting a new version, restored to what may have been the work's original form, with recitatives recomposed by Alan Curtis, to conclude Le Concert de la Loge's residency at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. Under the baton of Julien Chauvin, Le Concert de la Loge and CMBV choir Les Chantres  accompany a brilliant cast, led by Marina Rebeka in the formidable title role, once immortalised by Maria Callas.