La toison d'or (The Golden Fleece), soon revised as Médée à Colchos ou La toison d'or (Medea in Colchis or The Golden Fleece), is a French-language opera in three acts by the composer Johann Christoph Vogel.
[5] According to Théodore Lajarte, "the opera rehearsals did not go without a hitch", as singer Adelaïde Gavaudan refused to assume the role of Medea's sister, Calciope.
Vogel emulated Gluck's operatic style,[1] as he noted in his "touchingly sincere" dedication to that composer in the published score.
[7] By the time of the premiere, however, "taste had turned towards Sacchini"[1] and Vogel's work, probably appearing somewhat old-fashioned and also lacking a ballet, did not meet with much success[4] and was immediately reworked.
A new libretto was published under the title Médée à Colchos ou La toison d'or and the revised version was mounted on 2 October 1786, a Sunday.
Adelaïde Gavaudan, who had been replaced as Calciope but remained Chéron's understudy, was requested to step in, but she claimed she had not fully mastered the role; director Dauvergne ultimately resolved to change the bill and rescheduled the performance for the following Sunday.
[9] Even with the revisions, and continuing additions of ballet pantomimes,[7] the audience's appreciation of Vogel's opera did not increase and it was withdrawn on 7 November 1786 after nine performances in all, returning only 2,166 livres to the box office.