Medea

Medea , in Greek mythology, princess of Colchis, skilled in magic and sorcery. She fell in love with Jason and helped him, against the will of her father, Aeëtes, to obtain the Golden Fleece. When Jason left Colchis, she fled with him and lived as his wife for many years, bearing him two children. Jason later wished to marry Creusa, daughter of King Creon of Corinth, but Medea sent her an enchanted wedding gown that burned her to death. Medea then completed her revenge by killing her own two children; in another version of the legend the angered citizens of Corinth stoned them to death. Afterward, Medea fled to Athens, where she married King Aegeus.

Medea Daughter of Aeëtes, King of Colchis, whom she defied to help Jason retrieve the Golden Fleece. Renowned as a sorceress, she lived with Jason for many years in Corinth but fled to Athens after his desertion of her caused her to murder their children, and his new wife, in a jealous rage.

Medea . Euripides' tragedy has remained a stageworthy piece for centuries, though most stage versions in the 19th century were by French and German writers. The first major American adaptation was by poet Robinson Jeffers, and was produced successfully by Robert Whitehead and Oliver Rea at the National Theatre in 1947 with Judith Anderson as Medea and John Gielgud as Jason. It ran 214 performances and for many years was the translation of choice in American productions. That same version was revived in 1982 with Zoe Caldwell as Medea and Anderson this time playing her nurse. Other New York Medeas of note include Irene Papas in 1973, Diana Rigg in 1994, and Fiona Shaw in 2002. Michael John LaChiusa's operatic version of the tale, Marie Christine (1999), played briefly at Lincoln Center.