Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:58

Trio

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:45

Courante

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:36

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:30

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

John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:52

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:03

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

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

1:02

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest

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

0:35

Air. "The Raptur’d Soul" (Didymus)

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

8:12

Recitative. "I Know Thy Virtues" (Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:42

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres, 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)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

4:00

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:38

Air. "Bane of Virtue" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

5:51

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:29

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

1:08

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

7:18

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:17

Recitative. "Mistaken Wretches!" (Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:20

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

Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:41

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

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

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:39

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

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

1:13

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

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

5:21

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

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:34

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

4:41

Recitative. "Ye Men of Antioch" (Valens)

John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest

2:11

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

John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

0:35

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

3:07

Air

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:03

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

Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:30

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

3:23

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

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

1:20

Air. "Though the Honours" (Septimius)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:12

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

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

0:38

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

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

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)

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

5:46

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

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

0:38

Air. "Sweet Rose and Lily" (Didymus)

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

2:17

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

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

1:33

Air. "The Pilgrim’s Home" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:58

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

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

0:37

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

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

1:58

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

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

4:26

Recitative. "’Tis Night" (Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato

0:47

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

3:42

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

7:04

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

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

0:38

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

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:36

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

3:39

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

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:50

Accompagnato. "O My Irene" (Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:29

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

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:14

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

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

1:12

Recitative. "She’s Gone" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:38

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

4:17

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

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

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev

5:45

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:02

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

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

1:01

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:50

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

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

0:37

Air. "Ye Ministers of Justice" (Valens)

John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:26

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

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

0:54

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

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

5:37

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

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
Maxim Emelyanychev

Conductor
Joyce DiDonato

Mezzo-Soprano