In the wake of their previous productions (Véronique Gens’ recital Passion, one-act operas by Rameau and Bury and sacred music by Charpentier and Desmarest), Louis-Noël Bestion de Camboulas and his ensemble now conclude their joint residency with an original production of Médée et Jason, parody of the often-staged myth of Medea. Emerging at the end of the reign of Louis XIV, parody dramas appeared in fairground theatres and rapidly became very popular with Parisian audiences. They set out to ridicule serious works, particularly operas, openly satirising playwrights, artists and stage designers as well as the public themselves. They often contained social, political and religious criticism, used risqué vocabulary and puns and exposed the foibles of contemporary society with charming  irreverence.

This production is based on historical texts, notably by Carolet and Romagnesi, enlightened by Françoise Rubellin and Judith le Blanc’s input and the Theaville invaluable research tool. It is a parody of all Medea operas, particularly that of Marc-Antoine Charpentier, and is performed here by Les Surprises, admirably staged by director Pierre Lebon.