3 CDs HANDEL Theodora (Oratorio) Wieland • Schmid Vitzthum • Schoch Mertens Junge Kantorei Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra Joachim Carlos Martini George Frideric CD 1 77:34 $ 14. Recitativo (Irene) Oh bright example 0:30 1 1. Overtura: Maestoso – Trio – Courante 7:43 % 15. Air (Irene) HANDEL Bane of virtue 5:14 (1685-1759) Act I ^ 16. Chorus of Christians Come, mighty father 2:54 Theodora, HWV 68 Scene 1 Scene 4 An Oratorio 2 2. Recitativo (Valens) ’Tis Dioclesian’s natal day 0:36 & 17. Recitativo (Messenger & Irene) 3 3. Air (Valens) Fly, fly, my brethren! 1:03 Libretto by Thomas Morell (1703-1784) Go, my faithful soldier 2:04 * 18. Air (Irene) after the anonymously published novel 4 4. Chorus of Heathens As with rosy steps 5:27 And draw a blessing down 2:20 ( 19. Chorus of Christians The Martyrdom of Theodora and Didymus 5 5. Recitativo (Didymus & Valens) All pow’r in heaven above 2:19 by Robert Boyle (1627-1691) Vouchsafe, dread Sir 1:04 6 6. Air (Valens) Scene 5 Racks, gibbets, sword and fire 3:53 Theodora . Christina Wieland, Soprano 7 7. Chorus of Heathens ) 20. Recitativo (Septimius) For ever thus stands fix’d the doom 2:16 Mistaken wretches! 0:26 Irene . Diana Schmid, Mezzo-soprano ¡ 21. Air (Septimius) Didymus . Franz Vitzthum, Countertenor Scene 2 Dread the fruits of Christian folly 3:04 ™ 22. Recitativo (Theodora & Septimius) Septimius . Knut Schoch, Tenor 8 8. Recitativo (Didymus) Deluded mortal! 0:56 Valens . Klaus Mertens, Bass-baritone Most cruel edict! 0:32 £ 23. Accompagnato (Theodora) 9 9. Air (Didymus) Oh worse than death 0:24 The raptur’d soul 7:54 ¢ 24. Air (Theodora) Junge Kantorei 0 10. Recitativo (Septimius) Angels, ever bright and fair 3:00 I know thy virtues 0:50 Frankfurt Baroque Orchestra ! 11. Air (Septimius) Scene 6 Descend, kind Pity 7:30 Joachim Carlos Martini ∞ 25. Recitativo (Didymus & Irene) Unhappy, happy crew! 1:22 Scene 3 § 26. Accompagnato & Air (Didymus) Kind Heaven 5:04 @ 12. Recitativo (Theodora) ¶ 27. Recitativo (Irene) Though hard 0:24 Oh love, how great thy pow’r 0:23 # 13. Air (Theodora) • 28. Chorus of Christians Fond flatt’ring world, adieu! 4:02 Go, gen’rous pious youth! 4:21 CD 2 51:43 $ 42. Recitativo (Didymus & Septimius) CD 3 42:37 Scenes 4 & 5 Oh save her then 0:39 Act II % 43. Air (Didymus) Act III 9 63. Recitativo (Valens, Didymus & Theodora) Deeds of kindness 4:59 Scene 1 Is it a Christian virtue 2:14 Scene 4 Scene 1 0 64. Air (Septimius) 1 29. Recitativo (Valens) From virtue springs 4:43 Ye men of Antioch 0:39 ^ 44. Recitativo (Irene) 1 55. Air (Irene) ! 65. Air (Valens) 2 30. Chorus of Heathens The clouds begin to veil 0:42 Lord to Thee 4:50 Cease, ye slaves 1:19 Queen of summer 0:56 & 45. Air (Irene) @ 66. Recitativo (Didymus & Theodora) 3 31. Air (Valens) Defend her heaven 4:41 Wide spread his name 2:25 Scene 2 ’Tis kind, my friends 1:05 4 32. Recitativo (Valens) Scene 5 # 67. Chorus of Heathens Return, Septimius 0:45 How strange their ends 2:50 5 33. Chorus of Heathens 2 56. Recitativo (Irene & Theodora) * 46. Recitativo (Didymus) $ 68. Recitativo (Didymus, Theodora & Valens) Venus laughing from the skies 1:27 But see 0:41 Or lull’d with grief 0:32 On me your frowns 0:38 ( 47. Air (Didymus) 3 57. Air (Theodora) Scene 2 % 69. Air (Valens) Sweet rose and lily 2:33 When sunk in anguish 3:51 Ye ministers of justice 1:28 ) 48. Recitativo (Theodora & Didymus) 6 34. Symphony of soft musick 0:48 4 58. Chorus of Christians & Theodora Oh save me, Heaven 1:29 7 35. Recitativo (Theodora) Blest be the hand 3:06 ¡ 49. Air (Theodora) Scene 6 Oh thou bright sun! 0:31 The pilgrim’s home 2:17 8 36. Air (Theodora) Scene 3 With darkness deep 3:01 ™ 50. Accompagnato (Didymus) ^ 70. Recitativo (Didymus, Theodora & Septimius) Forbid it, Heaven! 0:54 9 37. Symphony of soft musick 1:31 And must such beauty suffer? 0:55 0 38. Recitativo (Theodora) £ 51. Recitativo (Didymus & Theodora) 5 59. Recitativo & Accompagnato & 71. Air & Duet (Didymus & Theodora) But why art thou disquieted 0:29 Or say, what right have I 1:09 (Messenger, Irene & Theodora) Streams of pleasure 4:54 ! 39. Air (Theodora) ¢ 52. Duet (Theodora & Didymus) Undaunted in the court 1:31 Oh that I on wings could rise 3:10 To thee 5:16 6 60. Duet (Irene & Theodora) Scene 7 Scene 3 Scene 6 Whither, princess, do you fly? 1:33 7 61. Recitativo (Irene) * 72. Recitativo (Irene) @ 40. Recitativo (Didymus & Septimius) ∞ 53. Recitativo (Irene) She’s gone! 0:34 Ere this their doom is past 0:27 Long have I known 1:21 ’Tis night 0:57 # 41. Air (Septimius) § 54. Chorus of Christians 8 62. Air (Irene) ( 73. Chorus of Christians Though the honours 4:16 He saw the lovely youth 4:13 New scenes of joy 3:32 Oh Love divine 2:27 George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) since there are many whose consciences will not allow them in Theodora’s shame. Didymus seeks his help in saving Theodora, An Oratorio, HWV 68 to join in these rites. Valens, nevertheless, sticks to his view, Theodora. threatening any who refuse to obey. His followers rejoice. Scene 4: As evening falls, Irene laments the coming fate The libretto of the oratorio Theodora was written by the that if you would have it again, he would engage for all the Scene 2: Didymus tells Septimius that persecution is of Theodora. Anglican cleric and philologist the Reverend Dr Thomas Boxes.’ ‘He is a Fool; the Jews will not come to it (as to wrong in any attempt to compel belief. Septimius, Scene 5: Theodora’s place of confinement is seen, with Morell, taking as his model the tale by Robert Boyle, Judas) because it is a Christian story; and the Ladies will although still an adherent of the old religion, feels Didymus approaching, the visor of his helmet closed. published anonymously in 1687, Love and Religion not come, because it [is] a virtuous one.’ Something of the sympathy but must obey the Roman governor. Didymus explains that he has come to save Theodora, demonstrated in the Martyrdom of Theodora and Didymus. attitude of the London audience is considered below, in the Scene 3: Theodora, with Irene and a group of Christians, and, as he reveals his identity, tells her to change clothes This tale, in turn, was based on a legend of martyrs in the article Theodora and the London Public. enters. She bids the world farewell, and Irene stresses the with him. Theodora praises his courage and begs him to fourth century and its literary adaptations in the A further performance in 1755 had no public success, vanity of human passions and of prosperity, while true kill her, a plea he rejects. seventeenth century by, among others, Pierre Corneille. although the composer hoped to please public taste by happiness is to be found in pure religion. Scene 6: Irene, with the Christians, prays for Theodora. George Frideric Handel set the libretto in just four various abridgements and changes. A performance Scene 4: A messenger enters, urging the Christians to fly, weeks. In the autograph it is shown that the first act was planned for 1759, for which the score was again altered, but Irene declares that the Lord’s protection is CD 3 started on 28th June 1749 and the first part finished on 11th in the end did not take place. everywhere, sentiments endorsed by the Christians. July, with the end of the second act. The third act was My score is based on the original score and the 1860 Scene 5: Septimius joins them, rebuking them for their Act III finished on 31st July. This short space of time is still more Chrysander edition for the German Handel Society. A refusal to join the ceremonies in honour of Caesar and astonishing when we see that in the spring of 1749, Handel, number of changes were made in the conductor’s score of warning them of the consequences of such rebellion. Scene 1: Irene, with the Christians, continues her prayer. now 64 years old, directed first performances of the Theodora during its performance history, alterations Theodora rejects the imputation, declaring the absolute Scene 2: Theodora enters, in the guise of Didymus, and oratorios Susanna and Solomon, the ‘Anthem on the Peace’ precisely noted in the recent Halle Edition. With the help necessity of obeying God. Septimius tells her that the Irene welcomes the supposed Didymus. Theodora How beautiful are the feet for the celebration of the Peace of of this edition I have revised the recitatives, in order to guards have orders to take the women to a brothel. reveals herself, wishing that Didymus were also free. All Aix-la-Chapelle, the so-called ‘Caroline’ Te Deum, the Music clarify the narrative. Theodora prays for strength, as they go. join in prayer for Didymus. for the Royal Fireworks in Green Park and on 27th May, the Scene 6: Didymus enters, seeking his beloved Theodora, Scene 3: A messenger enters and tells of the courage of first benefit concert for the Foundling Hospital, with, among Joachim Carlos Martini and Irene tells him that Theodora has been taken to a Didymus, condemned by Valens, who has uttered further other works, the anthem composed for the Foundling brothel. Didymus resolves to save her, praised by Irene threats against Theodora.