Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

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

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

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, Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest

0:30

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

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

1:02

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

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

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, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

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)

Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato

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)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro

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)

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

1:02

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

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

0:23

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

Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

3:39

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

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

1:13

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

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

5:21

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

0:34

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

4:41

Recitative. "Ye Men of Antioch" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest

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)

John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

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)

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:07

Air

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

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)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

3:23

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

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

1:20

Air. "Though the Honours" (Septimius)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres

3:12

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

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

5:46

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

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

0:38

Air. "Sweet Rose and Lily" (Didymus)

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

2:17

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

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

1:33

Air. "The Pilgrim’s Home" (Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, 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)

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

1:58

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

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

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)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, 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)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

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)

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:50

Accompagnato. "O My Irene" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

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)

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

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)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

4:17

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

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

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)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres

5:45

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

John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:02

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

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

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

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)

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

5:37

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

Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:30

Chorus. "O Love Divine" (The Christians)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:42

George Frideric Handel

Composer
Joyce DiDonato

Mezzo-Soprano
Michael Spyres

Tenor
Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

Countertenor
Maxim Emelyanychev

Conductor