Handel: Theodora

CD1

1. Handel : Theodora, HWV 68, Part 2: "To thee, thou glorious son of worth" (Theodora, Didymus) 
2. Theodora : Overture to Part I - Allegro
3. Theodora : Overture to Part I - Trio
4. Theodora : Overture to Part I - Courante
5. Theodora : Part I "'Tis Diocletian's natal day" (Valens)
6. Theodora : Part I "Go, my faithful soldier, go" (Valens)
7. Theodora : Part I "And draw a blessing down" (Chorus)
8. Theodora : Part I "Vouchsafe, dread Sir, a gracious ear" (Didymus, Valens)
9. Theodora : Part I "Racks, gibbets, sword and fire" (Valens)
10. Theodora : Part I "For ever thus stands fixed the doom" (Chorus)
11. Theodora : Part I "Most cruel edict!" (Didymus)
12. Theodora : Part I "The  raptur'd soul defies the sword" (Didymus)
13. Theodora : Part I "I know thy virtues" (Septimius)
14. Theodora : Part I "Desend, kind pity, heav'nly guest" (Septimius)
15. Theodora : Part I "Tho' hard, my friends" (Theodora)
16. Theodora : Part I "Fond, flatt'ring world, adieu!" (Theodora)
17. Theodora : Part I "O bright example of all goodness!" (Irene)
18. Theodora : Part I "Bane of virtue" (Irene)
19. Theodora : Part I "Come, mighty Father" (Chorus)
20. Theodora : Part I "Fly, fly, my brethren" (Messenger) "Ah! whither should we fly?" (Irene)
21. Theodora : Part I "As with rosy steps the morn" (Irene)
22. Theodora : Part I "All pow'r in Heav'n above" (Chorus)
23. Theodora : Part I "Mistaken wretches!" (Septimius)
24. Theodora : Part I "Dread the fruits of Christian folly" (Septimius)
25. Theodora : Part I "Deluded mortal!" (Theodora, Septimius)
26. Theodora : Part I "Oh worse than death indeed!" (Theodora)
27. Theodora : Part I "Angels, ever bright and fair" (Theodora)
28. Theodora : Part I "Unhappy, happy crew!" (Didymus, Irene)
29. Theodora : Part I "Kind Heav'n, if virtue be thy care" (Didymus)
30. Theodora : Part I "O love, how great thy pow'r!" (Irene)
31. Theodora : Part I "Go gen'rous, pious youth" (Chorus)

CD2

1. Theodora : Part II "Ye men of Antioch" (Valens)
2. Theodora : Part II "Queen of summer, queen of love" (Chorus)
3. Theodora : Part II "Wide spread his name" (Valens)
4. Theodora : Part II "Return, Septimius" (Valens)
5. Theodora : Part II "Venus, laughing from the skies" (Chorus)
6. Theodora : Part II Symphony
7. Theodora : Part II "O thou bright sun!" (Theodora)
8. Theodora : Part II "With Darkness deep as is my woe" (Theodora)
9. Theodora : Part II Sinfonia 
10. Theodora : Part II "But why art thou disquieted, my soul?" (Theodora)
11. Theodora : Part II "Oh, that I on wings could rise" (Theodora)
12. Theodora : Part II "Long have I known" (Didymus, Septimius)
13. Theodora : Part II "Tho' the honours that Flora and Venus receive" (Septimius)
14. Theodora : Part II "O save her then" (Didymus, Septimius)
15. Theodora : Part II "Deeds of kindness to display" (Didymus)
16. Theodora : Part II "The clouds begin to veil the hemisphere" (Irene)
17. Theodora : Part II "Defend her, Heav'n" (Irene)
18. Theodora : Part II "Or lulled with grief" (Didymus)
19. Theodora : Part II "Sweet rose and lilly, flow'ry form" (Didymus)
20. Theodora : Part II "O save me, Heav'n" (Theodora, Didymus)
21. Theodora : Part II "The pilgrim's home, the sick man's health" (Theodora)
22. Theodora : Part II "Forbid it, Heav'n!" (Didymus)
23. Theodora : Part II "Or say, what right have I" (Didymus, Theodora)
24. Theodora : Part II "To thee, thou glorious son of worth" (Theodora, Didymus)
25. Theodora : Part II "'Tis night, but night's sweet blessing" (Irene)
26. Theodora : Part II "He saw the lovely youth" (Chorus)

CD3

1. Theodora : Part III "Lord to thee, each night and day" (Irene)
2. Theodora : Part III "But see, the good, the virtuous Didymus!" (Irene, Theodora)
3. Theodora : Part III "When sunk in anguish and despair" (Theodora)
4. Theodora : Part III "Blest be the hand" (Chorus, Theodora)
5. Theodora : Part III "Undaunted in the court" (Messenger, Irene)
6. Theodora : Part III "O my Irene, Heav'n is kind" "Stay me not, my friend" (Theodora)
7. Theodora : Part III "Whither, Princess, do you fly" (Irene, Theodora)
8. Theodora : Part III "She's gone, disdaining liberty and life" (Irene)
9. Theodora : Part III "New scenes of joy come crowding on" (Irene)
10. Theodora : Part III "Is it a Christian virtue, then" (Valens, Didymus) "Be that my doom" (Theodora, Septimius)
11. Theodora : Part III "From Virtue springs each gen'rous deed" (Septimius)
12. Theodora : Part III "Cease, ye slaves, your fruitless pray'r" (Valens)
13. Theodora : Part III "'Tis kind, my friends" (Didymus, Theodora)
14. Theodora : Part III "How strange their ends" (Chorus)
15. Theodora : Part III "On me your frowns" (Didymus, Theodora, Valens)
16. Theodora : Part III "And must such beauty suffer!" (Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)
17. Theodora : Part III "Streams of pleasure ever flowing..." "Thither let our hearts aspire!" (Didymus, Theodora)
18. Theodora : Part III "Ere this their doom is past" (Irene)
19. Theodora : Part III "O love divine, thou source of fame" (Irene, Chorus)

Although conceived as an oratorio, Theodora – with its story of Christian martyrs in 4th century Antioch – is one of Handel’s most enthralling music dramas. Famously, William Christie conducted Peter Sellar’s staging of the work at the Glyndebourne Festival in 1996. When this recording appeared, Gramophone magazine described it as “a magnificent and deeply satisfying performance,” praising Christie for understanding that “Handel’s greatness as an artist is rooted in his humanity”.