Theodora

Album by George Frideric Handel & Lisette Oropesa & Joyce DiDonato & Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian & Michael Spyres & John Chest & Il Pomo d’Oro & Maxim Emelyanychev

Theodora is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel, first performed in 1750. Musically it exemplifies Handel's late Baroque sacred style with expressive recitative, richly scored choruses and ornate solo writing, and it occupies a place among his mature dramatic oratorios that explore theological themes within operatic structures.
First released: 28th October 2022

Tracklist

  1. 1.
    Theodora, HWV 68: Overture
    2:58
  2. 2.
    Theodora, HWV 68: Trio
    1:45
  3. 3.
    Theodora, HWV 68: Courante
    1:36
  4. 4.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 1: Recitative “’Tis Diocletian’s Natal Day” (Valens)
    0:30
  5. 5.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 1: Air “Go, My Faithful Soldier, Go” (Valens)
    1:52
  6. 6.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 1: Chorus “And Draw a Blessing Down” (The Heathens)
    2:03
  7. 7.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 1: Recitative “Vouchsafe, Dread Sir” (Didymus, Valens)
    1:02
  8. 8.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 1: Air “Racks, Gibbets, Sword and Fire” (Valens)
    3:15
  9. 9.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 1: Chorus “For Ever Thus Stands Fix’d the Doom” (The Heathens)
    1:40
  10. 10.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 2: Recitative “Most Cruel Edict” (Didymus, Septimius)
    0:35
  11. 11.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 2: Air “The Raptur’d Soul” (Didymus)
    8:12
  12. 12.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 2: Recitative “I Know Thy Virtues” (Septimius)
    0:42
  13. 13.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 2: Air “Descend, Kind Pity, Heav’nly Guest” (Septimius)
    8:11
  14. 14.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 3: Recitative “Though Hard, My Friends” (Theodora)
    0:27
  15. 15.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 3: Air “Fond, Flatt’ring World, Adieu” (Theodora)
    4:00
  16. 16.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 3: Recitative “O Bright Example of All Goodness” (Irene)
    0:38
  17. 17.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 3: Air “Bane of Virtue” (Irene)
    5:51
  18. 18.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 3: Chorus “Come, Mighty Father” (The Christians)
    2:29
  19. 19.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 4: Recitative “Fly, Fly, My Brethren” (Messenger, Irene)
    1:08
  20. 20.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 4: Air “As with Rosy Steps the Morn” (Irene)
    7:18
  21. 21.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 4: Chorus “All Pow’r in Heav’n Above” (The Christians)
    2:17
  22. 22.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 5: Recitative “Mistaken Wretches!” (Septimius)
    0:20
  23. 23.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 5: Air “Dread the Fruits of Christian Folly” (Septimius)
    2:41
  24. 24.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 5: Recitative “Deluded Mortal!” (Theodora, Septimius)
    1:02
  25. 25.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 5: Accompagnato “Oh, Worse Than Death Indeed” (Theodora)
    0:23
  26. 26.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 5: Air “Angels, Ever Bright and Fair” (Theodora)
    3:39
  27. 27.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 6: Recitative “Unhappy, Happy Crew!” (Didymus, Irene)
    1:13
  28. 28.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 6: Air “Kind Heav’n, If Virtue Be Thy Care” (Didymus)
    5:21
  29. 29.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 6: Recitative “O Love, How Great Thy Pow’r!” (Irene)
    0:34
  30. 30.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part I Scene 6: Chorus “Go, Gen’rous, Pious Youth” (The Christians)
    4:41
  31. 31.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 1: Recitative “Ye Men of Antioch” (Valens)
    0:33
  32. 32.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 1: Chorus “Queen of Summer, Queen of Love” (The Heathens)
    0:42
  33. 33.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 1: Air “Wide Spread His Name” (Valens)
    2:11
  34. 34.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 1: Recitative “Return, Septimius, to the Stubborn Maid” (Valens)
    0:40
  35. 35.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 1: Chorus “Venus, Laughing from the Skies” (The Heathens)
    1:19
  36. 36.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 2: Symphony
    0:54
  37. 37.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 2: Recitative “O Thou Bright Sun” (Theodora)
    0:35
  38. 38.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 2: Air “With Darkness Deep, as is My Woe” (Theodora)
    3:07
  39. 39.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 2: Air
    1:03
  40. 40.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 2: Recitative “But Why Art Thou Disquieted, My Soul” (Theodora)
    0:30
  41. 41.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 2: Air “Oh That I on Wings Could Rise” (Theodora)
    3:23
  42. 42.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 3: Recitative “Long Have I Known” (Didymus, Septimius)
    1:20
  43. 43.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 3: Air “Though the Honours” (Septimius)
    3:12
  44. 44.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 3: Recitative “Oh, Save Her Then” (Didymus, Septimius)
    0:38
  45. 45.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 3: Air “Deeds of Kindness to Display” (Didymus)
    7:01
  46. 46.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 4: Recitative “The Clouds Begin to Veil” (Irene)
    0:40
  47. 47.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 4: Air “Defend Her, Heav’n!” (Irene)
    5:46
  48. 48.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 5: Recitative “Or Lull’d With Grief” (Didymus)
    0:38
  49. 49.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 5: Air “Sweet Rose and Lily” (Didymus)
    2:17
  50. 50.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 5: Recitative “Oh, Save Me, Heav’n” (Theodora, Didymus)
    1:33
  51. 51.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 5: Air “The Pilgrim’s Home” (Theodora)
    2:58
  52. 52.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 5: Accompagnato “Forbid It, Heav’n!” (Didymus)
    0:37
  53. 53.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 5: Recitative “Or Say, What Right Have I to Take” (Didymus, Theodora)
    1:58
  54. 54.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 5: Duet “To Thee, Thou Glorious Son of Worth” (Theodora, Didymus)
    4:26
  55. 55.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 6: Recitative “’Tis Night” (Irene)
    0:47
  56. 56.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part II Scene 6: Chorus “He Saw the Lovely Youth” (The Heathens)
    3:42
  57. 57.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 1: Air “Lord, to Thee Each Night and Day” (Irene)
    7:04
  58. 58.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 2: Recitative “But See, the Good, the Virtuous Didymus” (Irene, Theodora)
    0:38
  59. 59.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 2: Air “When Sunk in Anguish and Despair” (Theodora)
    3:36
  60. 60.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 2: Theodora and Chorus “Blest Be the Hand, and Blest the Pow’r” (Theodora, The Christians)
    3:39
  61. 61.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 3: Recitative “Undaunted in the Court” (Messenger, Irene)
    0:50
  62. 62.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 3: Accompagnato “O My Irene” (Theodora)
    0:29
  63. 63.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 3: Recitative “Stay Me Not, Dear Friend” (Theodora)
    0:14
  64. 64.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 3: Duet “Whither, Princess, Do You Fly” (Irene, Theodora)
    1:12
  65. 65.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 3: Recitative “She’s Gone” (Irene)
    0:38
  66. 66.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 3: Air “New Scenes of Joy Come Crowding on” (Irene)
    4:17
  67. 67.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 4: Recitative “Is It a Christian Virtue” (Valens, Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)
    1:12
  68. 68.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 5: Recitative “Be That My Doom” (Theodora, Septimius)
    1:02
  69. 69.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 5: Air “From Virtue Springs Each Gen’rous Deed” (Septimius)
    5:45
  70. 70.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 5: Air “Cease, Ye Slaves, Your Fruitless Pray’r” (Valens)
    1:02
  71. 71.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 5: Recitative “’Tis Kind, My Friends” (Didymus, Theodora)
    1:01
  72. 72.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 5: Chorus “How Strange Their Ends, Yet How Glorious” (The Heathens)
    2:50
  73. 73.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 5: Recitative “On Me Your Frowns” (Didymus, Theodora, Valens)
    0:37
  74. 74.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 5: Air “Ye Ministers of Justice” (Valens)
    1:26
  75. 75.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 6: Recitative “And Must Such Beauty Suffer?” (Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)
    0:54
  76. 76.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 6: Air and Duet “Streams of Pleasure Ever Flowing” (Didymus, Theodora)
    5:37
  77. 77.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 7: Recitative “Ere This, Their Doom is Past” (Irene)
    0:30
  78. 78.
    Theodora, HWV 68, Part III Scene 7: Chorus “O Love Divine” (The Christians)
    2:42

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