Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

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Theodora, Handel's penultimate oratorio, was a failure in his own time. Until relatively recently it remained a rarity, but lately has come to be recognised as a masterpiece, although quite different... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 16th Oct 2000
Catalogue No: 4690612
Label: DG Archiv
Length: 3 hours 2 minutes

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Handel: Theodora (1750)

Work length3:02:33

$65.45

$88.55

Paul McCreesh (director), Angus Smith (tenor), Neal Davies (bass), Robin Blaze (countertenor), Paul Agnew (tenor), Susan Gritton (soprano), Susan Bickley (contralto)
Gabrieli Consort
Recorded: 2000-01
Recording Venue: unknown, London

1a. Ouverture

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1b. Trio

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1c. Courante

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2. Recitative: "'Tis Dioclesian's natal day"

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3. Aria: "Go, my faithful soldier, go"

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4. Chorus Of Heathens: "And draw a blessing down"

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5. Recitative: "Vouchsafe, dread Sir"

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6. Aria: "Racks, gibbets, sword and fire"

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7. Chorus Of Heathens: "For ever thus stand fix'd"

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8. Recitative: "Most cruel edict"

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9. Aria: "The raptur'd soul"

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10. Recitative: "I know thy virtues"

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11. Aria: "Descend, kind Pity"

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12. Recitative: "Though hard, my friends"

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13. Aria: "Fond, flatt'ring world, adieu"

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14. Recitative: "Oh bright example"

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15. Aria: "Bane of virtue"

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16. Chorus Of Christians: "Come, mighty Father"

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17. Recitative: "Fly, fly, my brethren"

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18. Aria: "As with rosy steps the morn"

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19. Chorus: "All pow'r in heav'n"

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20. Recitative: "Mistaken wretches!"

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21. Aria: "Dread the fruits of Christian folly"

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22. Recitative: "Deluded mortal" / Accompagnato: "O worse than death indeed"

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23. Aria: "Angels, ever bright and fair"

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24. Recitative: "Unhappy, happy crew!"

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25. Air: "Kind heaven, if virtue be thy care"

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26. Recitative: "Oh love! how great thy pow'r"

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27. Chorus: "Go, gen'rous pious youth"

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28. Recitative: "Ye men of Antioch"

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29. Chorus Of Heathens: "Queen of summer"

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30. Aria: "Wide spread his name"

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31. Recitative: "Return, Septimius"

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32. Chorus Of Heathens: "Venus laughing from the skies"

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33. Sinfony

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34. Recitative: "Oh thous bright sun!"

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35. Aria: "With darkness deep"

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36. Sinfony

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37. Recitative: "But why art thou disquieted?"

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38. Aria: "O! that I on wings could rise"

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39. Recitative: "Long have I known"

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40. Aria: "Though the honours, that Flora"

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41. Recitative: "O save her then"

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42. Aria: "Deeds of kindness to display"

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43. Recitative: "The clouds begin to veil"

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44. Aria: "Defend her, Heav'n"

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45. Recitative: "Or lull'd with grief"

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46. Aria: "Sweet rose and lily"

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47. Recitative: "O save me, Heav'n"

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48. Aria: "the pilgrim's home"

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49. Accompagnato: "Forbid it, Heav'n!" / Rec.: "Ah! what is liberty"

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50. Duet: "To thee, thou glorious son of worth"

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51. Recitative: "'Tis night"

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52. Chorus Of Christians: "He saw the lovely youth"

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34a. Recitative: "Oh thou bright sun!"

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36a. Sinfony

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37. Recitative: "But why art thou disquieted?"

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38. Aria: "O! that I on wings could rise"

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53. Aria: "Lord, to thee each night and day"

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54. Recitative: "But see, the good, the virtuous"

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55. Aria: "When sunk in anguish and despair"

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56. Chorus Of Christians and Theodora: "Blest be the hand"

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57. Recitative: "Undaunted in the court" / Accompagnato: "O my Irene, Heav'n is kind"

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58. Duet: "Whither, Princess, do you fly?"

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59. Recitative: "She's gone disdaining liberty and life"

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60. Aria: "New scenes of joy come crowding on"

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61. Recitative: "Is it a Christian virtue then" / "Be that my doom"

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62. Aria: "From virtue springs each gen'rous deed"

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63. Aria: "Cease, ye slaves, your fruitless pray'r"

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64. Recitative: "'Tis kind, my friends"

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65. Chorus Of Heathens: "How strange their ends"

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66. Recitative: "On me your frowns"

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67. Aria: "Ye ministers of justice"

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68. Recitative: "And must such beauty suffer"

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69. Aria And Duet: "Streams of pleasure ever flowing" / "Thither let our hearts aspire"

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70. Recitative: "Ere this their doom is past"

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71. Chorus Of Christians: "O Love divine"

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Reviews
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Reviews

2010

Theodora, Handel's penultimate oratorio, was a failure in his own time. Until relatively recently it remained a rarity, but lately has come to be recognised as a masterpiece, although quite different in mood and treatment from most of his more familiar oratorios.
This recording encourages attentive listening to its subtleties, because it's done with such affection, care and refinement. There's nothing sensational about it, no singer who overwhelms you with brilliance or virtuosity.
But all the solo music is finely sung. Theodora herself is taken by Susan Gritton, who's won golden opinions recently, and will win more here for a great deal of lovely, clear and musicianly singing, with a quiet seriousness and unaffected intensity that are ideally suited to the role. Her presence at the centre of the tragic drama elevates it as a whole.
Irene, her fellow Christian, is sung with scarcely less distinction by Susan Bickley, coolly expressive in most of her music, more passionate in 'Defend her Heaven' in Act 2, a shapely performance with subtleties of timing.
Didymus, originally a castrato role (very rare in oratorios), is sung by Robin Blaze, whose focused, even-toned countertenor – not a hint of the traditional hoot – serves well: this is fluent singing, with no great depth of tone, but very steady and controlled, with the detail precisely placed. As Septimius, Paul Agnew is in good voice, firm and full in tone, phrasing the music elegantly (although the Act 3 air is unconvincing, too bouncy and cheerful for the situation). Lastly, there's Neal Davies as the Roman ruler, Valens, whose excellent singing makes as persuasive a case as can be imagined for torturing Christians – his is a pleasantly grainy voice, with considerable warmth and fullness of tone, well suited to a figure repre- senting authority, and he despatches the divisions with assurance.
Ornamentation is appropriate and tasteful, and McCreesh takes the recitative at a natural and relaxed pace. His main contribution, however, is in the well-sprung rhythms he draws from his Gabrieli singers and players, in the way he allows the lines to breathe, and in the sense of purpose and direction he imparts to the bass line. Add to this a keen sense of the right pace for each number, and you've the recipe for an outstanding reading of this noble work.

Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

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