MEDEA

Gail Shalan approaches this story of one of the most controversial figures in Greek mythology in a tone of hushed gravitas. When young Medea gains the favor of the goddess Athena, her path to notoriety paved in blood and magic is sealed. Shalan's vocal agility is undeniable; one minute she is Medea as a child, high-pitched and naïve, and the next, she embodies Medea's father, the sorcerer king Aeëtes, who has the tone of one who has glimpsed a grim future. Particularly effective is Shalan's rendering of Medea's mother, Idyia, a sea nymph and oracle whose lilting voice--marked with surprising intensity during moments of prophecy--effectively renders her intimate yet distant relationship with her husband and children. E.E. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2024]