Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, 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)

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

1:02

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

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

0:35

Air. "The Raptur’d Soul" (Didymus)

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

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)

Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

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, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:08

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

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

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, Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:20

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres

2:41

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

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

1:02

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

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

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, 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)

John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro, 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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:19

Symphony

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:54

Recitative. "O Thou Bright Sun" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:35

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

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:07

Air

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:03

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

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

1:20

Air. "Though the Honours" (Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:12

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

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

0:38

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

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

7:01

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:40

Air. "Defend Her, Heav’n!" (Irene)

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

1:33

Air. "The Pilgrim’s Home" (Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:58

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

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

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)

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

4:26

Recitative. "’Tis Night" (Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

7:04

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

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

0:38

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:50

Accompagnato. "O My Irene" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:29

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:14

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

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

1:12

Recitative. "She’s Gone" (Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato, 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)

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

1:12

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

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

1:02

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

Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, 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)

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

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)

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

0:37

Air. "Ye Ministers of Justice" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:26

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

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

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, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:30

Chorus. "O Love Divine" (The Christians)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:42

George Frideric Handel

Composer
Lisette Oropesa

Soprano
Il Pomo d'Oro

Orchestra, Choir
Maxim Emelyanychev

Conductor
Joyce DiDonato

Mezzo-Soprano