Medea

MEDEA is a musical theatre production by In-Vitro. Directors Jan Dekeyser and Daphne Kitschen conceived this performance for their collective In-Vitro. They surrounded the figure of Medea with two other women, who, as ‘alter egos,’ determine her tormented psyche and actions. The nurse, played by the mezzo-soprano, and Creon's daughter, Creusa, is played by the dancer. This also represents the three (archetypal) ages: the young daughter, the adult Medea and the old mistress, but also growth, high point and downfall, or birth, life and death. The stages of Medea's life, for she too was once a bride, bore children and said farewell to life.

Archetypes and fertility rites

The dance, performed by Karolina Wolkowiecka, represents unspoiled youth and the fertility rite. The adult Medea, Emilie De Roo, recites from the work of H. Müller. The mezzo-soprano Inez Carsauw, the amiable death, performs a cappella songs by Gustav Mahler.

The men

The men are absent in this world, or at least without a major role; a singer, three guitarists and a drummer from a grungy rock band. As fellow men, they welcome Jason into their midst. Like apocalyptic horsemen, they announce the end with musical violence.

The contemporary urbanised world

In-Vitro confronts the ancient world, the psyche of Medea, with contemporary society, on the eve of destruction. The world of nature, of the mother goddess, matriarchy confronted with that of technology, the paradise with the scorched earth. An octophonic sound composition by Dirk Veulemans provides this confrontation, in which the most banal sounds develop into a suggestive atmosphere. How does our current Western civilisation relate to our mother culture(s), and also to other world cultures?

No hope

But also the psyche of the individual versus a controlling society, because Medea's acts of despair are ultimately acts of resistance. Medea refuses to accept Jason's choice for social prestige and power. Intuition, wounded pride and jealousy versus the rationality of the political marriage between Jason and Creusa. Identity versus uniformity. Medea is a story that expresses no hope.

(Source text: In-Vitro)

Performances

Medea premiered on 16 September 2009 at De Centrale in Ghent and was also performed in Antwerp (Theater Troubleyn), Cologne (Festival Globalise Cologne) and Berlin.

Electroacoustic music

Music played a very prominent role in Medea. There was the hard rock band. There was the opera singer. And there was the electroacoustic composition together with a soundscape that enveloped this theatre creation. This electroacoustic component was reproduced in 8-channel surround sound. It was a challenge to unite this diversity, but it worked out well. The composition has since been reworked so that it can be listened to without the visual input of the theatre.

laatste update: 2025.06.08