Saturday
November 14, 2026
8:00 PM
Halton Theater
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THE MEDIUM
MUSIC BY: Gian Carlo Menotti
LIBRETTO BY: Gian Carlo Menotti
A legendary artist steps into a bold new role.
Opera Carolina proudly presents The Medium by Gian Carlo Menotti,
The Medium is a psychological thriller—a tale of illusion, guilt, and supernatural reckoning, brought vividly to life by one of opera’s most powerful voices and visionary talents.
Witness the intensity. Feel the fear. Experience the drama.
SUNG IN English
ESTIMATED RUN TIME
90 minutes
Intermission: 15 minutes
WITH ONE INTERMISSION
November 14, 2026
THE HALTON THEATER
SETTING
“The Medium” by Gian Carlo Menotti takes place in a small, shabby apartment in an unnamed city, likely somewhere in Europe or the United States, during the mid-20th century. The setting is intimate and claustrophobic, matching the psychological tension of the opera.
CREATORS
Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007) was an Italian-American composer and librettist best known for his operas in English. He played a key role in making opera more accessible to American audiences during the 20th century and is especially known for blending lyrical music with contemporary, often dramatic or supernatural themes.
SYNOPSIS
PERFORMED IN
ENGLISH
The Medium is a short (one-hour-long) two-act dramatic opera with words and music by Gian Carlo Menotti. Commissioned by Columbia University, its first performance was there on 8 May 1946. The opera’s first professional production was presented on a double bill with Menotti’s The Telephone at the Heckscher Theater, New York City, February 18–20, 1947 by the Ballet Society. The Broadway production took place on May 1, 1947, at the Ethel Barrymore Theater with the same cast.
In 1951, Menotti directed, with the help of filmmaker Alexander Hammid, a film version made to resemble film noir, and starring Marie Powers as Madame Flora and Anna Maria Alberghetti as Monica. A live television production starring Marie Powers took place on 12 December 1948 on the TV series Studio One.
It was also filmed for Australian TV in 1960.
