Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

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

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest

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

1:02

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest

3:15

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:40

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

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

0:35

Air. "The Raptur’d Soul" (Didymus)

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

8:12

Recitative. "I Know Thy Virtues" (Septimius)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:42

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres

8:11

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:27

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

4:00

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

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:38

Air. "Bane of Virtue" (Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

5:51

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

7:18

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:17

Recitative. "Mistaken Wretches!" (Septimius)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, 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)

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

1:13

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

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

5:21

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:34

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest

0:40

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:19

Symphony

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

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, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:07

Air

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:03

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

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)

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

1:20

Air. "Though the Honours" (Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro

3:12

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

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

0:38

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, 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, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

5:46

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

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

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, Lisette Oropesa, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:33

Air. "The Pilgrim’s Home" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

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)

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

1:58

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

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

4:26

Recitative. "’Tis Night" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

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, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro

7:04

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

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

0:38

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

3:36

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

3:39

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

0:50

Accompagnato. "O My Irene" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, 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)

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

1:12

Recitative. "She’s Gone" (Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro

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)

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

1:12

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

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

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

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)

Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, 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, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Michael Spyres

0:54

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

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

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:42

George Frideric Handel

Composer
Maxim Emelyanychev

Conductor
Michael Spyres

Tenor
Lisette Oropesa

Soprano
Il Pomo d'Oro

Orchestra, Choir