At its Paris première, Médée met by having the lukewarm reception & was non revived. Notwithstanding, it shortly became popular, within translation, among German audiences. Originally, a act contained spoken dialogue. These were placed to music around 1855 by Franz Lachner for a performance inside Frankfurt. Since so, Médée is invariably given around German within Lachner's strictly sung version or even an Italian translation thereof & commonly known as Medea.

Medea is a heroic role requiring tremendous vocal toughness & control. Dandy interpreters of the role own been uncommon. In the 20th century, single Maria Callas, Eileen Farrell, Magda Olivero, and Leonie Rysanek have successfully taken on the a portion.

Peradventure a best known 20th century revival of the act was inside Florence in 1953, with Maria Callas in the name part & conducted by Leonard Bernstein filling in at a endure moment for an indisposed Victor de Sabata.

Within preparing for the role, Callas misplaced the striking total of weight; she wanted the wasted jaw line, "very thin, very pronounced" when she late put it inside an locate. Callas said late (1961) of the role:

A role remained inside her repertoire nine years & she sang a a portion extra than xxx days within nine cities. Recordings survive from either Milan (1953 & 1961), Dallas (1958) & London (1959).

es:Médée