Handel: Theodora

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

Overview

Studio recordings of opera and oratorio are not so common these days, and the Erato label took a chance with this one, bringing in big-name singers, recording during the COVID-19 pandemic with all its threats of disruptions, and backing a major tour to go with it. As it happens, the gamble paid off as the album rose onto classical best-seller charts in the fall of 2022. It is superb. Despite its initial failure (probably London audiences weren't familiar with the story of the titular martyr), the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68, has come to be recognized as one of Handel's late masterpieces, and it was one of the composer's favorites among his works. Even more than Handel's other oratorios, this one has operatic qualities and, in fact, has been staged as an opera; there are long stretches where the chorus is silent. It stands or falls on the singers, although the small chorus of the historical-instrument group Il Pomo d'Oro is very fine here, with excellent renderings of the double pagans-and-Christian roles of the chorus. They are a remarkable group. The star is mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato as Theodora's friend Irene, and she is surrounded by, and nicely counterpointed to, younger singers who are just hitting their strides. Soprano Lisette Oropesa is a standout. She is known for 19th century roles rather than Handel, but her judicious and beautifully controlled application of vibrato, and her presence in general, are arresting. Theodora's partner in Christian crime, Didymus, is the little-heralded but smooth countertenor Paul-Antoine Benos-Djian and tenor Michael Spyres as the friend of the hard man Septimus is also very strong, as is the appropriately named John Chest as Valens. Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev keeps the energy level high through three hours of action, contributes an unusually active harpsichord continuo, and draws especially crisp performances from Il Pomo d'Oro. A standout Handel oratorio recording. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	01/13/2023
Label:	Erato
UPC:	5054197177910
Rank:	36921

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Theodora, HWV 68~Overture
2. Theodora, HWV 68~Trio
3. Theodora, HWV 68~Courante
4. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 1. Recitative: 'Tis Diocletian's natal day
5. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 1. Aria: Go, my faithful soldier, go
6. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 1. Chorus: And draw a blessing down
7. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 1. Recitative: Vouchsafe, dread Sir
8. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 1. Air: Racks, gibbets, sword and fire
9. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 1. Chorus: For ever thus stands fix'd the doom
10. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 2. Recitative: Most cruel edict!
11. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 2. Air: The raptured soul
12. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 2. Recitative: I know thy virtues
13. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 2. Air: Descend, kind pity, heav'nly guest
14. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 3. Recitative: Tho' hard, my friends
15. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 3. Air: Fond, flatt'ring world, adieu!
16. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 3. Recitative: O bright example of all goodness!
17. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 3. Air: Bane of virtue
18. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 3. Chorus: Come, mighty Father
19. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 4. Recitative: Fly, fly, my brethren
20. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 4. Air: As with rosy setps the morn
21. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 4. Chorus: All pow'r in Heav'n above
22. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 5. Recitative: Mistaken wretches!
23. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 5. Air: Dread the fruits of Christian folly
24. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 5. Recitative: Deluded mortal!
25. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 5. Accompagnato: O, worse, than death indeed
26. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 5. Air: Angels, ever bright and fair
27. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 6. Recitative: Un happy, happy crew!
28. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 6. Air: Kind Heav'n, if virtue be thy care
29. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 6. Recitative: O love, how great thy Pow'r!
30. Theodora, HWV 68~Part I: Scene 6. Chorus: Go, gen'rous, pious youth

Disc 2

31. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 1. Recitative: Ye men of Antioch
32. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 1. Chorus: Queen of summer, queen of love
33. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 1. Air: Wide spread his name
34. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 1. Recitative: Return, Septimius, to the stubborn maid
35. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 1. Chorus: Venus, laughing from the skies
36. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 2. Symphony
37. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 2. Recitative: O thou bright sun!
38. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 2. Air: With darkness deep, as in my woe
39. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 2. Symphony
40. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 2. Recitative: Buy why art thou disquieted, my soul
41. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 2. Air: Oh, that I on wings could rise
42. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 3. Recitative: Long have I known
43. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 3. Air: Tho' the honours
44. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 3. Recitative: Oh, save her then
45. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 3. Air: Deeds of kindness to display
46. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 4. Recitative: The clouds begin to veil
47. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 4. Air: Defend her, Heav'n
48. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 5. Recitative: Or lulled with grief
49. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 5. Air: Sweet rose and lily
50. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 5. Recitative: Oh, save me, Heav'n
51. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 5. Air: The pilgrim's home
52. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 5. Accompagnato: Forbid it, Heav'n
53. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 5. Recitative: Or say, what right have I to take
54. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 5. Duet: To thee, thou glorious son of worth
55. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 6. Recitative: 'Tis night
56. Theodora, HWV 68~Part II: Scene 6. Chorus: He saw the lovely youth

Disc 3

57. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 1. Air: Lord, to thee each night and day
58. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 2. Recitative: But see, the good, the virtuous Didymus!
59. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 2. Air: When sunk in anguish and despair
60. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 2. Theodora and Chorus: Blest be the hand, and blest the pow'r
61. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 3. Recitative: Undaunted in the Court
62. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 3. Accompagnato: O my Irene
63. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 3. Recitative: Stay me not, dear friend
64. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 3. Duet: Whither, Princess, do you fly
65. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 3. Recitative: She's gone
66. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 3. Air: New scenes of joy come crowding on
67. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 4. Recitative: Is it a Christian virtue
68. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 5. Recitative: Be that my doom
69. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 5. Air: From Virtue springs each gen'rous deed
70. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 5. Air: Cease, ye slaves, your fruitless pary'r
71. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 5. Recitative: 'Tis Kind, my friends
72. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 5. Chorus: How strange their ends, yet how glorious
73. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 5. Recitative: On me your frowns
74. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 5. Air: Ye ministers of justice
75. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 6. Recitative: And must such beauty suffer!
76. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 6. Air and Duet: Streams of pleasure ever flowing
77. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 7. Recitative: Ere this, their doom is past
78. Theodora, HWV 68~Part III: Scene 7. Chorus: O live divine

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Lisette Oropesa   Primary Artist,Soprano (Vocal)
Joyce DiDonato   Primary Artist,Mezzo-Soprano (Vocal),Soprano (Vocal)
Michael Spyres   Primary Artist,Vocals,Tenor (Vocal)
Maxim Emelyanychev   Primary Artist,Conductor
Il Pomo d'Oro   Primary Artist,Orchestra,Choir/Chorus
Massimo Lombardi   Tenor (Vocal)
Paul-Antoine Benos-Djian   Counter Tenor (Vocal)
John Chest   Baritone (Vocal)

Technical Credits

David Vickers   Selection
Daniel Fesquet   Liner Note Translation
Bernd Mueller   Text Translation
Alain Lanceron   Executive Producer
Sue Baxter   Liner Note Translation
Peter Jones   Selection
Thomas Morell   Librettist
Tess Posthuma de Boer   Photography
Gesine Luebben   Producer
Giulio D'Alessio   Producer
Sven Lorenz   Photography
Steven Harris   Photography
Klaus Stuebler   Liner Notes
Nicolas Bartholomee   Recording Producer
Virginie Bauzou   Text Translation
Anne Steeb   Text Translation
George Frederick Handel   Composer
Sergi Jasanada   Photography
Amandine Lauriol   Photography
Hugo Scremin   Sound Editing,Mastering,Mixing
Andrey Stoycher   Photography