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Special offer. Handel: Theodora

Millenium Orchestra, Chœur de Chambre de Namur, Leonardo García Alarcón

Handel: Theodora
A cosmopolitan ensemble of musicians performs the work here with great vivacity. The playing from the Millenium Orchestra under Leonardo García Alarcón is crisp, dynamic and sparking, and the...

BBC Music Magazine, May 20265 out of 5 stars

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Special offer. Handel: Theodora

Millenium Orchestra, Chœur de Chambre de Namur, Leonardo García Alarcón

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3 CDs

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A cosmopolitan ensemble of musicians performs the work here with great vivacity. The playing from the Millenium Orchestra under Leonardo García Alarcón is crisp, dynamic and sparking, and the...

BBC Music Magazine, May 20265 out of 5 stars

More reviews

About

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.

Contents and tracklist

Handel: Theodora, HWV 68
Work length2:45:28
Pt. 1 Ouverture
Track length2:51
Pt. 1 Recitative. 'tis Dioclesian's Natal Day (Valens)
Track length0:33
Pt. 1 Air. Go, My Faithful Soldier (Valens)
Track length1:53
Pt. 1 Chorus of Heathens. And Draw a Blessing Down
Track length2:05
Pt. 1 Recitative. Vouchsafe, Dread Sir, a Gracious Ear (Didymus, Valens)
Track length1:01
Pt. 1 Air. Racks, Gibbets, Sword and Fire (Valens)
Track length3:03
Pt. 1 Chorus of Heathens. For Ever Thus Stands Fix'd the Doom
Track length1:35
Pt. 1 Recitative. Most Cruel Edict! (Didymus)
Track length0:34
Pt. 1 Air. The Raptur'd Soul Defies the Sword (Didymus)
Track length9:16
Pt. 1 Recitative. I Know Thy Virtues, and Ask Not Thy Faith (Septimius)
Track length0:55
Pt. 1 Air. Descend, Kind Pity, Heav'nly Guest (Septimius)
Track length7:54
Pt. 1 Recitative. Though Hard, My Friends (Theodora)
Track length0:28
Pt. 1 Air. Fond, Flatt'ring World, Adieu! (Theodora)
Track length4:22
Pt. 1 Recitative. O Bright Example of All Goodness! (Irene)
Track length0:29
Pt. 1 Chorus of Christians. Come, Mighty Father, Mighty Lord
Track length2:27
Pt. 1 Recitative. Fly, Fly, My Brethren, Heathen Rage Pursues Us Swift (Messenger, Irene)
Track length0:57
Pt. 1 Air. As With Rosy Steps the Morn (Irene)
Track length6:28
Pt. 1 Chorus of Christians. All Pow'r in Heav'n Above or Earth Beneath
Track length2:20
Pt. 1 Recitative. Mistaken Wretches! (Septimius)
Track length0:24
Pt. 1 Air. Dread the Fruits of Christian Folly (Septimius)
Track length2:45
Pt. 1 Recitative. Deluded Mortal! (Theodora, Septimius)
Track length1:01
Pt. 1 Accompagnato. Oh, Worse than Death Indeed! (Theodora)
Track length0:21
Pt. 1 Air. Angels, Ever Bright and Fair (Theodora)
Track length2:36
Pt. 1 Recitative. Unhappy, Happy Crew! (Didymus, Irene)
Track length1:11
Pt. 1 Air. Kind Heav'n, If Virtue Be Thy Care (Didymus)
Track length5:35
Pt. 1 Recitative. O Love, How Great Thy Pow'r! (Irene)
Track length0:25
Pt. 1 Chorus of Christians. Go, Gen'rous, Pious Youth
Track length4:04
Pt. 2 Recitative. Ye Men of Antioch, with Solemn Pomp (Valens)
Track length0:40
Pt. 2 Chorus of Haethens. Queen of Summer, Queen of Love
Track length1:06
Pt. 2 Air. Wide Spread His Name (Valens)
Track length2:03
Pt. 2 Recitative. Return, Septimius, to the Stubborn Maid (Valens)
Track length0:42
Pt. 2 Chorus of Haethens. Venus Laughing from the Skies
Track length1:12
Pt. 2 Sinfonia (Largo)
Track length0:40
Pt. 2 Recitative. O Thou Bright Sun! (Theodora)
Track length0:39
Pt. 2 Air. With Darkness Deep, as Is My Woe (Theodora)
Track length3:47
Pt. 2 Air
Track length1:00
Pt. 2 Recitative. But Why Art Thou Disquieted, My Soul? (Theodora)
Track length0:32
Pt. 2 Air. Oh, That I on Wings Could Rise (Theodora)
Track length3:14
Pt. 2 Recitative. Long Have I Known Thy Friendly Social Soul (Didymus, Septimius)
Track length1:17
Pt. 2 Air. Though the Honours That Flora and Venus Receive (Septimius)
Track length3:22
Pt. 2 Recitative. Oh, Save Her Then (Didymus, Septimius)
Track length0:44
Pt. 2 Air. Deeds of Kindness to Display (Didymus)
Track length8:55
Pt. 2 Recitative. The Clouds Begin to Veil the Hemisphere (Irene)
Track length0:36
Pt. 2 Air. Defend Her, Heav'n! (Irene)
Track length5:25
Pt. 2 Recitative. Or Lull'd with Grief, or Rapt Her Soul to Heav'n (Didymus)
Track length0:28
Pt. 2 Air. Sweet Rose and Lily, Flow'ry Form (Didymus)
Track length2:33
Pt. 2 Recitative. Oh, Save Me, Heav'n, in This My Perilous Hour! (Theodora, Didymus)
Track length1:33
Pt. 2 Air. The Pilgrim's Home, the Sick Man's He (Theodora)
Track length3:20
Pt. 2 Accompagnato. Forbid It, Heav'n! (Didymus)
Track length0:29
Pt. 2 Recitative. Or Say, What Right Have I (Didymus, Theodora)
Track length1:51
Pt. 2 Duett. To Thee, Thou Glorious Son of Worth (Theodora, Didymus)
Track length5:21
Pt. 2 Recitative. 'Tis Night, but Night's Sweet Blessing Is Denied (Irene)
Track length0:57
Pt. 2 Chorus of Christians. He Saw the Lovely Youth, Death's Early Prey
Track length3:59
Pt. 3 Air. Lord, to Thee Each Night and Day (Irene)
Track length6:17
Pt. 3 Recitative. But See, the Good, the Virtuous Didymus! (Irene, Theodora)
Track length0:44
Pt. 3 Air. When Sunk in Anguish and Despair (Theodora)
Track length3:32
Pt. 3 Solo and Chorus. Blest Be the Hand, and Blest the Pow'r (Christians, Theodora)
Track length3:19
Pt. 3 Recitative. Undaunted in the Court Stands Didymus (Messenger, Irene)
Track length0:50
Pt. 3 Accompagnato. O My Irene, Heav'n Is Kind (Theodora)
Track length0:32
Pt. 3 Recitative. Stay Me Not, Dear Friend (Theodora)
Track length0:13
Pt. 3 Duet. Whither, Princess, Do You Fly (Irene, Theodora)
Track length1:13
Pt. 3 Recitative. She's Gone, Disdaining Liberty and Life (Irene)
Track length0:31
Pt. 3 Air. New Scenes of Joy Come Crowding On (Irene)
Track length4:16
Pt. 3 Recitative. Is It a Christian Virtue Then (Valens, Didymus)
Track length1:10
Pt. 3 Recitative. Be That My Doom. You May Inflict It Here (Theodora, Septimius)
Track length0:59
Pt. 3 Air. Cease, Ye Slaves, Your Fruitless Pray'r! (Valens)
Track length1:01
Pt. 3 Recitative. 'Tis Kind, My Friends, but Kinder Still (Didymus, Theodora)
Track length1:08
Pt. 3 Chorus of Heathens. How Strange Their Ends
Track length2:44
Pt. 3 Recitative. On Me Your Frowns, Your Utmost Rage Exert (Didymus, Theodora, Valens)
Track length0:35
Pt. 3 Air. Ye Ministers of Justice, Lead Them Hence (Valens)
Track length1:07
Pt. 3 Recitative. And Must Such Beauty Suffer? (Didymus, Theodora)
Track length0:53
Pt. 3 Air and Duett. Streams of Pleasure Ever Flowing (Didymus, Theodora)
Track length6:20
Pt. 3 Recitative. Ere This, Their Doom Is Past and They Are Gone (Irene)
Track length0:30
Pt. 3 Chorus of Christians. O Love Divine, Thou Source of Fame
Track length3:36

Spotlight on this release

Awards and reviews

May 2026

A cosmopolitan ensemble of musicians performs the work here with great vivacity. The playing from the Millenium Orchestra under Leonardo García Alarcón is crisp, dynamic and sparking, and the Choeur de chambre de Namur attacks its choruses with gusto and discipline...A treasure trove of delights indeed.
5 out of 5 stars

May 2026

There is an intimacy to the singing of Junker and Lowrey, whether in alternation or combination, that is heart-rending.
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