An unforeseen change of theatre resulted in Cherubini's opera Médée being published not as a through-composed tragédie lyrique, as originally intended when the librettist François-Benoît Hoffman was commissioned to write the libretto, but as an opéra comique with spoken dialogues. This version of the world premiere of 13 March 1797 which was distorted and replaced in the 19th century by Franz Lachner's arrangement could be reconstructed in 2006. In the critical edition by Heiko Cullmann (piano score 979-0-2211-2144-8), this crucial piece at a turn of eras has belatedly found its way into the repertoire in the meantime.The original form of the work reveals a spectacular structure. The confrontation of music and spoken word seems to be semantically charged. Luigi Cherubini, according to Médée. Poetin der Grausamkeit, appears as a revolutionary, modern-inspired opera composer. Günter Ned's study can also be seen as a contribution to cruelty as aesthetic category.