Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Michael Spyres, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, John Chest

2022

Handel’s oratorio Theodora is an opera in all but name, and this riveting performance led by Russian conductor Maxim Emelyanychev confirms it as one of the composer’s greatest achievements. The American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato is the star name among the soloists, poised and sonorous in her Part I aria “As With Rosy Steps the Morn”. Soprano Lisette Oropesa and countertenor Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian also excel as the Christian martyrs Theodora and Didymus, rising movingly to the challenge of the opera’s heart-wrenching final scene. The wonderfully eloquent choral singing adds further cachet to a set which lovers of Handel’s music should on no account miss hearing.

Overture

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:58

Trio

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:45

Courante

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:36

Recitative. "Tis Diocletian’s Natal Day" (Valens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest

0:30

Air. "Go, My Faithful Soldier, Go" (Valens)

John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:52

Chorus. "And Draw a Blessing Down" (The Heathens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:03

Recitative. "Vouchsafe, Dread Sir" (Didymus, Valens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

1:02

Air. "Racks, Gibbets, Sword and Fire" (Valens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro

3:15

Chorus. "For Ever Thus Stands Fix’d the Doom" (The Heathens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:40

Recitative. "Most Cruel Edict" (Didymus, Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

0:35

Air. "The Raptur’d Soul" (Didymus)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

8:12

Recitative. "I Know Thy Virtues" (Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres

0:42

Air. "Descend, Kind Pity, Heav’nly Guest" (Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

8:11

Recitative. "Though Hard, My Friends" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:27

Air. "Fond, Flatt’ring World, Adieu" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

4:00

Recitative. "O Bright Example of All Goodness" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:38

Air. "Bane of Virtue" (Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro

5:51

Chorus. "Come, Mighty Father" (The Christians)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:29

Recitative. "Fly, Fly, My Brethren" (Messenger, Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:08

Air. "As with Rosy Steps the Morn" (Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro

7:18

Chorus. "All Pow’r in Heav’n Above" (The Christians)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:17

Recitative. "Mistaken Wretches!" (Septimius)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres

0:20

Air. "Dread the Fruits of Christian Folly" (Septimius)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres

2:41

Recitative. "Deluded Mortal!" (Theodora, Septimius)

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:02

Accompagnato. "Oh, Worse Than Death Indeed" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

0:23

Air. "Angels, Ever Bright and Fair" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

3:39

Recitative. "Unhappy, Happy Crew!" (Didymus, Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:13

Air. "Kind Heav’n, If Virtue Be Thy Care" (Didymus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

5:21

Recitative. "O Love, How Great Thy Pow’r!" (Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato

0:34

Chorus. "Go, Gen’rous, Pious Youth" (Chorus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

4:41

Recitative. "Ye Men of Antioch" (Valens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest

0:33

Chorus. "Queen of Summer, Queen of Love" (The Heathens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:42

Air. "Wide Spread His Name" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:11

Recitative. "Return, Septimius, to the Stubborn Maid" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:40

Chorus. "Venus, Laughing from the Skies" (The Heathens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:19

Symphony

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:54

Recitative. "O Thou Bright Sun" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

0:35

Air. "With Darkness Deep, as is My Woe" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

3:07

Air

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:03

Recitative. "But Why Art Thou Disquieted, My Soul" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:30

Air. "Oh That I on Wings Could Rise" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:23

Recitative. "Long Have I Known" (Didymus, Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Michael Spyres

1:20

Air. "Though the Honours" (Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres

3:12

Recitative. "Oh, Save Her Then" (Didymus, Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:38

Air. "Deeds of Kindness to Display" (Didymus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

7:01

Recitative. "The Clouds Begin to Veil" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:40

Air. "Defend Her, Heav’n!" (Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

5:46

Recitative. "Or Lull’d With Grief" (Didymus)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

0:38

Air. "Sweet Rose and Lily" (Didymus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:17

Recitative. "Oh, Save Me, Heav’n" (Theodora, Didymus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:33

Air. "The Pilgrim’s Home" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:58

Accompagnato. "Forbid It, Heav’n!" (Didymus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:37

Recitative. "Or Say, What Right Have I to Take" (Didymus, Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:58

Duet. "To Thee, Thou Glorious Son of Worth" (Theodora, Didymus)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

4:26

Recitative. "’Tis Night" (Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

0:47

Chorus. "He Saw the Lovely Youth" (The Heathens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:42

Air. "Lord, to Thee Each Night and Day" (Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

7:04

Recitative. "But See, the Good, the Virtuous Didymus" (Irene, Theodora)

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:38

Air. "When Sunk in Anguish and Despair" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

3:36

Theodora and Chorus. "Blest Be the Hand, and Blest the Pow’r" (Theodora, Chorus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:39

Recitative. "Undaunted in the Court" (Messenger, Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

0:50

Accompagnato. "O My Irene" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

0:29

Recitative. "Stay Me Not, Dear Friend" (Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:14

Duet. "Whither, Princess, Do You Fly" (Irene, Theodora)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:12

Recitative. "She’s Gone" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:38

Air. "New Scenes of Joy Come Crowding on" (Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

4:17

Recitative. "Is It a Christian Virtue" (Valens, Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)

John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Michael Spyres

1:12

Recitative. "Be That My Doom" (Theodora, Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres, Lisette Oropesa

1:02

Air. "From Virtue Springs Each Gen’rous Deed" (Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

5:45

Air. "Cease, Ye Slaves, Your Fruitless Pray’r" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest

1:02

Recitative. "’Tis Kind, My Friends" (Didymus, Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

1:01

Chorus. "How Strange Their Ends, Yet How Glorious" (The Heathens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:50

Recitative. "On Me Your Frowns" (Didymus, Theodora, Valens)

Lisette Oropesa, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

0:37

Air. "Ye Ministers of Justice" (Valens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:26

Recitative. "And Must Such Beauty Suffer?" (Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:54

Air and Duet. "Streams of Pleasure Ever Flowing" (Didymus, Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

5:37

Recitative. "Ere This, Their Doom is Past" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:30

Chorus. "O Love Divine" (The Christians)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:42

George Frideric Handel

Composer
Il Pomo d'Oro

Orchestra, Choir
Lisette Oropesa

Soprano
Michael Spyres

Tenor
Joyce DiDonato

Mezzo-Soprano