Lydia Steier, a junior from West Hartford, Connecticut, directs and produces the work. Steier is no newcomer to directing opera, but The Medium marks her debut in mounting a full production. I have directed many opera scenes, but that experience in no way prepared me for the demands of putting together all of the costumes, sets, publicity, and rehearsals. Even so, the show will be a success, says Steier, because the cast has risen to the occasion. They have all made so much progress.
Some cast members are very experienced.
She has progressed from showing discomfort on stage to stealing many scenes. Steier says Menotti was inspired to create The Medium after he attended a seance in France. He was very taken by how overtly produced and artificial it all was, but even so, the parents of dead children were convinced their children were in the room. In The Medium, Cross, a senior from Miami, plays a fortuneteller who produces sham seances for devout customers. Black Swan' and 'Monica's Waltz' are the most famous pieces from the opera, but the entire work is really quite amazing.