Medea Ⅱby Omada Dance Company August 1, 2008

Time: 2008/8/1-2008/8/2
Venue: NCPA-Theatre
Price: 100/200/400/600/700/1000
Tel: 86-10-64177845
Web: www.piao.com.cn

Medea is a tragedy written by Euripides, based on the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC.

Thisinventive, water-bound retelling of the Medea myth was warmly receivedon its travels round the world, enchanting audiences with its visualpower and ingenious coupling of silent, stylized movement with thedrama of Bellini's operas.

The Story
Medeawas a devotee of the goddess Hecate, and one of the great sorceressesof the ancient world. She was the daughter of King Aeetes of Colchis, and the granddaughter of Helios, the sun god.
King Aeetes' most valuable possession was a golden ram's fleece. When Jason and the crew of the Argo arrived at Colchisseeking the Golden Fleece, Aeetes was unwilling to relinquish it andset Jason a series of seemingly impossible tasks as the price ofobtaining it. Medea fell in love with Jason and agreed to use her magicto help him, in return for Jason's promise to marry her.

Jasonfled in the Argo after obtaining the golden fleece, taking Medea andher younger brother, Absyrtis, with him. King Aeetes pursued them. Inorder to delay the pursuit, Medea killed her brother and cut his bodyinto pieces, scattering the parts behind the ship. The pursuers had tostop and collect Absyrtis' dismembered body in order to give it properburial, and so Jason, Medea and the Argonauts escaped.

Afterthe Argo returned safely to Iolcus, Jason's home, Medea continued usingher sorcery. She restored the youth of Jason's aged father, Aeson, bycutting his throat and filling his body with a magical potion. She thenoffered to do the same for Pelias the king of Iolcus who had usurpedAeson's throne. She tricked Pelias' daughters into killing him, butleft the corpse without any youth-restoring potion.

After the murder of Pelias, Jason and Medea had to flee Iolcus; they settled next in Corinth. There Medea bore Jason two children before Jason forsook her in order to marry the daughter of Creon, the king of Corinth.Medea got revenge for Jason's desertion by killing the new bride with apoisoned robe and crown which burned the flesh from her body; KingCreon died as well when he tried to embrace his dying daughter. Medeafled Corinthin a chariot, drawn by winged dragons, which belonged to hergrandfather Helios. She took with her the bodies of her two children,whom she had murdered in order to give Jason further pain.

Medea then took refuge with Aegeus, the old king of Athens,having promised him that she would use her magic to enable him to havemore children. She married Aegeus and bore him a son, Medus. But Aegeushad another son, Theseus. When Theseus returned to Athens, Medea tried to trick her husband into poisoning him. She was unsuccessful, and had to flee Athens, taking Medus with her. After leaving Athens, Medus became king of the country which was later called Media.

Official Website: http://www.piao.com.cn/en%5Fpiao/ticket_1707.html