Lisette Oropesa - Handel: Theodora (CD)

Five superb singers - Lisette Oropesa, Joyce DiDonato, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Michael Spyres and John Chest - portray the characters in Handel's Theodora under the direction of Maxim Emelyanychev, Chief Conductor of the instrumentalists and choral singers of Il Pomo d'Oro. An elevated and moving oratorio, Theodora tells the story of Christian martyrs in ancient Antioch under Roman occupation. Handel considered it among his best works. This recording was made at the end of a concert tour that visited Vienna, Milan, Paris, Luxembourg and Essen. "An evening of top-flight singing of a kind that is only rarely experienced," was how one German reviewer summed up the performance, while in France it resulted in "a state of bliss".

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. Theodora, HWV 68: Overture
2. Theodora, HWV 68: Trio
3. Theodora, HWV 68: Courante
4. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 1: Recitative. "Tis Diocletian's Natal Day" (Valens)
5. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 1: Air. "Go, My Faithful Soldier, Go" (Valens)
6. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 1: Chorus. "And Draw a Blessing Down" (The Heathens)
7. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 1: Recitative. "Vouchsafe, Dread Sir" (Didymus, Valens)
8. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 1: Air. "Racks, Gibbets, Sword and Fire" (Valens)
9. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 1: Chorus. "For Ever Thus Stands Fix'd the Doom" (The Heathens)
10. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 2: Recitative. "Most Cruel Edict" (Didymus, Septimius)
11. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 2: Air. "The Raptur'd Soul" (Didymus)
12. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 2: Recitative. "I Know Thy Virtues" (Septimius)
13. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 2: Air. "Descend, Kind Pity, Heav'nly Guest" (Septimius)
14. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 3: Recitative. "Though Hard, My Friends" (Theodora)
15. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 3: Air. "Fond, Flatt'ring World, Adieu" (Theodora)
16. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 3: Recitative. "O Bright Example of All Goodness" (Irene)
17. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 3: Air. "Bane of Virtue" (Irene)
18. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 3: Chorus. "Come, Mighty Father" (The Christians)
19. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 4: Recitative. "Fly, Fly, My Brethren" (Messenger, Irene)
20. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 4: Air. "As with Rosy Steps the Morn" (Irene)
21. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 4: Chorus. "All Pow'r in Heav'n Above" (The Christians)
22. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 5: Recitative. "Mistaken Wretches!" (Septimius)
23. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 5: Air. "Dread the Fruits of Christian Folly" (Septimius)
24. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 5: Recitative. "Deluded Mortal!" (Theodora, Septimius)
25. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 5: Accompagnato. "Oh, Worse Than Death Indeed" (Theodora)
26. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 5: Air. "Angels, Ever Bright and Fair" (Theodora)
27. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 6: Recitative. "Unhappy, Happy Crew!" (Didymus, Irene)
28. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 6: Air. "Kind Heav'n, If Virtue Be Thy Care" (Didymus)
29. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 6: Recitative. "O Love, How Great Thy Pow'r!" (Irene)
30. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 1 Scene 6: Chorus. "Go, Gen'rous, Pious Youth" (The Christians)

Disc: 2

1. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 1: Recitative. "Ye Men of Antioch" (Valens)
2. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 1: Chorus. "Queen of Summer, Queen of Love" (The Heathens)
3. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 1: Air. "Wide Spread His Name" (Valens)
4. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 1: Recitative. "Return, Septimius, to the Stubborn Maid" (Valens)
5. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 1: Chorus. "Venus, Laughing from the Skies" (The Heathens)
6. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 2: Symphony
7. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 2: Recitative. "O Thou Bright Sun" (Theodora)
8. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 2: Air. "With Darkness Deep, As Is My Woe" (Theodora)
9. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 2: Air
10. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 2: Recitative. "But Why Art Thou Disquieted, My Soul" (Theodora)
11. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 2: Air. "Oh That I on Wings Could Rise" (Theodora)
12. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 3: Recitative. "Long Have I Known" (Didymus, Septimius)
13. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 3: Air. "Though the Honours" (Septimius)
14. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 3: Recitative. "Oh, Save Her Then" (Didymus, Septimius)
15. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 3: Air. "Deeds of Kindness to Display" (Didymus)
16. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 4: Recitative. "The Clouds Begin to Veil" (Irene)
17. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 4: Air. "Defend Her, Heav'n!" (Irene)
18. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 5: Recitative. "Or Lull'd with Grief" (Didymus)
19. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 5: Air. "Sweet Rose and Lily" (Didymus)
20. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 5: Recitative. "Oh, Save Me, Heav'n" (Theodora, Didymus)
21. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 5: Air. "The Pilgrim's Home" (Theodora)
22. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 5: Accompagnato. "Forbid It, Heav'n!" (Didymus)
23. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 5: Recitative. "Or Say, What Right Have I to Take" (Didymus, Theodora)
24. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 5: Duet. "To Thee, Thou Glorious Son of Worth" (Theodora, Didymus)
25. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 6: Recitative. "'Tis Night" (Irene)
26. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 2 Scene 6: Chorus. "He Saw the Lovely Youth" (The Heathens)

Disc: 3

1. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 1: Air. "Lord, to Thee Each Night and Day" (Irene)
2. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 2: Recitative. "But See, the Good, the Virtuous Didymus" (Irene, Theodora)
3. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 2: Air. "When Sunk in Anguish and Despair" (Theodora)
4. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 2: Theodora and Chorus. "Blest Be the Hand, and Blest the Pow'r" (Theodora, the Christians)
5. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 3: Recitative. "Undaunted in the Court" (Messenger, Irene)
6. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 3: Accompagnato. "O My Irene" (Theodora)
7. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 3: Recitative. "Stay Me Not, Dear Friend" (Theodora)
8. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 3: Duet. "Whither, Princess, Do You Fly" (Irene, Theodora)
9. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 3: Recitative. "She's Gone" (Irene)
10. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 3: Air. "New Scenes of Joy Come Crowding On" (Irene)
11. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 4: Recitative. "Is It a Christian Virtue" (Valens, Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)
12. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 5: Recitative. "Be That My Doom" (Theodora, Septimius)
13. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 5: Air. "From Virtue Springs Each Gen'rous Deed" (Septimius)
14. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 5: Air. "Cease, Ye Slaves, Your Fruitless Pray'r" (Valens)
15. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 5: Recitative. "'Tis Kind, My Friends" (Didymus, Theodora)
16. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 5: Chorus. "How Strange Their Ends, Yet How Glorious" (The Heathens)
17. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 5: Recitative. "On Me Your Frowns" (Didymus, Theodora, Valens)
18. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 5: Air. "Ye Ministers of Justice" (Valens)
19. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 6: Recitative. "And Must Such Beauty Suffer?" (Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)
20. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 6: Air and Duet. "Streams of Pleasure Ever Flowing" (Didymus, Theodora)
21. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 7: Recitative. "Ere This, Their Doom Is Past" (Irene)
22. Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. 3 Scene 7: Chorus. "O Love Divine" (The Christians)