Music: Samuel Barber (Medea).
Choreography: Martha Graham.
Decors: Isamu Noguchi.
Costumes: Edythe Gilfond.
Lighting: Jean Rosenthal.
Premiere: May 10, 1946 at McMillan Theatre, Columbia University (New-York City), as Serpent heart, then retitled and revised (1st performed at Ziegfeld Theater on Feb 27 1947).
Dancers at the premiere: Martha Graham, Yuriko, May O'Donnell, Erick Hawkins.
When I needed a place for Medea onstage, the heart of her being, Isamu brought me a snake. And when I brooded on what I felt was the insolvable
problem of representing Medea flying to return to her father the Sun, Isamu
devised a dress for me worked from vibrating brilliant pieces of bronze wire that became my garment and moved with me across the stage as my
chariot of flames.
(Martha Graham, Blood Memory)
Thanks to Amy Reusch and "Thespis" for the information about this ballet!