Millenium Orchestra - Handel: Theodora [CD]
Description
The oratorio Theodora was first performed at the Covent Garden Theatre on 16 March 1750 and clearly took Londoners by surprise. Handel had, after all, made a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn in his choice of subject. The grandiose episodes of the Old Testament, the glorious struggles of Solomon, Saul, or Judas Maccabaeus are no more: the young martyr Theodora leads neither a community nor troops into battle. In a work far removed from the grand spectacle of biblical oratorios, Handel invites us to witness the poignant tale of a personal drama, a drama of the beginnings of Christianity fuelled by conscience, faith, and the heartbreak that they cause.
Tracklist:
- Theodora, HWV 68~Ouverture
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: 'Tis Dioclesian's natal day
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Air: Go, my faithful soldier
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Chorus of Heathens: And draw a blessing down
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: Vouchsafe, dread Sir, a gracious ear
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Air: Racks, gibbets, sword and fire
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Chorus of Heathens: For ever thus stands fix'd the doom
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: Most cruel edict!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Air: The raptur'd soul defies the sword
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: I know thy virtues, and ask not thy faith
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Air: Descend, kind pity, heav'nly guest
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: Though hard, my friends
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Air: Fond, flatt'ring world, adieu!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: O bright example of all goodness!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Chorus of Christians: Come, mighty Father, mighty Lord
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: Fly, fly, my brethren, heathen rage pursues us swift
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Air: As with rosy steps the morn
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Chorus of Christians: All pow'r in Heav'n above or earth beneath
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: Mistaken wretches!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Air: Dread the fruits of Christian folly
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: Deluded mortal!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Accompagnato: Oh, worse than death indeed!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Air: Angels, ever bright and fair
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: Unhappy, happy crew!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Air: Kind Heav'n, if virtue be thy care
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Recitative: O love, how great thy pow'r!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part I. Scene
- Chorus of Christians: Go, gen'rous, pious youth
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: Ye men of Antioch, with solemn pomp
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Chorus of Haethens: Queen of summer, queen of love
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Air: Wide spread his name
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: Return, Septimius, to the stubborn maid
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Chorus of Haethens: Venus laughing from the skies
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Sinfonia (Largo)
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: O thou bright sun!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Air: With darkness deep, as is my woe
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Air (Lentement)
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: But why art thou disquieted, my soul?
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Air: Oh, that I on wings could rise
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: Long have I known thy friendly social soul
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Air: Though the honours that Flora and Venus receive
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: Oh, save her then
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Air: Deeds of kindness to display
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: The clouds begin to veil the hemisphere
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Air: Defend her, Heav'n!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: Or lull'd with grief, or rapt her soul to Heav'n
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Air: Sweet rose and lily, flow'ry form
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: Oh, save me, Heav'n, in this my perilous hour!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Air: The pilgrim's home, the sick man's he
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Accompagnato: Forbid it, Heav'n!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: Or say, what right have I
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Duett: To thee, thou glorious son of worth
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Recitative: 'Tis night, but night's sweet blessing is denied
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part II. Scene
- Chorus of Christians: He saw the lovely youth, death's early prey
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Air: Lord, to Thee each night and day
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: But see, the good, the virtuous Didymus!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Air: When sunk in anguish and despair
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Solo and Chorus: Blest be the hand, and blest the pow'r
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: Undaunted in the court stands Didymus
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Accompagnato: O my Irene, Heav'n is kind
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: Stay me not, dear friend
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Duet: Whither, Princess, do you fly
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: She's gone, disdaining liberty and life
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Air: New scenes of joy come crowding on
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: Is it a Christian virtue then
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: Be that my doom. You may inflict it here
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Air: Cease, ye slaves, your fruitless pray'r!
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: 'Tis kind, my friends, but kinder still
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Chorus of Heathens: How strange their ends
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: On me your frowns, your utmost rage exert
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Air: Ye ministers of justice, lead them hence
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: And must such beauty suffer?
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Air and Duett: Streams of pleasure ever flowing
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Recitative: Ere this, their doom is past and they are gone
- Theodora, HWV 68~Part III. Scene
- Chorus of Christians: O love divine, thou source of fame
UPC: 5400439004856
Label: Ricercar
Release Date: 4.24.26
Format: CD
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