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Theodora HWV 68

Libretto: Thomas Morell
William Christie, Les Arts Florissants, Nathan Berg (Baritone), Daniel Taylor (Countertenor), Richard Croft (Tenor), Sophie Daneman (Soprano), Juliette Galstian (Mezzo-soprano), Laurent Slaars (Baritone)
℗ 2003, Paris, IRCAM (Paris)

  • Overture

    • Overtura (Maestoso - Allegro)
      03:05
    • Trio (Larghetto e piano)
      01:33
    • Courante
      01:40

  • Part I

    • Recitative, "Tis Diocletian's natal day" (Valens)
      00:32
    • No. 1a, Aria, "Go, my faithful soldier, go" (Valens)
      01:46
    • No. 2, Chorus, "And draw a blessing down on his imperial crown" (Heathens)
      02:05
    • Recitative, "Vouchsafe, dread Sir, a gracious ear" (Didymus, Valens)
      00:55
    • No. 3, Aria, "Racks, gibbets, sword and fire" (Valens)
      03:36
    • No. 4, Chorus, "For ever thus stands fix'd the doom" (Heathens)
      01:34
    • Recitative, "Most cruel edict!" (Didymus)
      00:31
    • No. 5, Aria, "The raptur'd soul defies the sword" (Didymus)
      08:28
    • Recitative, "I know thy virtues" (Septimius)
      00:41
    • No. 6, Aria, "Descend, kind Pity, heav'nly guest" (Septimius)
      06:17
    • Recitative, "Though hard, my friends" (Theodora)
      00:28
    • No. 7, Aria, "Fond flatt'ring world, adieu!" (Theodora)
      04:41
    • Recitative, "O bright example of all goodness!" (Irene)
      00:29
    • No. 8, Aria, "Bane of virtue, nurse of passions" (Irene)
      05:26
    • No. 9, Chorus, "Come, mighty Father, mighty Lord" (Christians)
      03:41
    • Recitative, "Fly, my brethren!" (Messenger) - Recitative, "Ah! wither should we fly?" (Irene)
      01:00
    • No. 10, Aria, "As with rosy steps the morn advancing" (Irene)
      05:57
    • No. 11, Chorus, "All pow'r heaven above, or earth beneath" (Christians)
      02:18
    • Recitative, "Mistaken wretches! why thus blind to fate" (Septimius)
      00:20
    • No. 12, Aria, "Dread the fruits of Christian folly" (Septimius)
      02:40
    • Recitative, "Deluded mortal! Call it not rebellion" (Theodora, Septimius)
      01:02
    • No. 13, Recitative accompanied, "Oh worse than death indeed!" (Theodora)
      00:27
    • No. 14, Aria, "Angels, ever bright and fair" (Theodora)
      03:20
    • Recitative, "Unhappy, happy crew!" (Didymus, Irene)
      01:09
    • No. 15, Aria, "Kind Heav'n if virtue be thy care" (Didymus)
      05:28
    • Recitative, "O love, how great thy pow'r!" (Irene)
      00:24
    • No. 16, Chorus, "Go, gen'rous pious youth" (Christians)
      05:53

  • Part II

    • Recitative, "Ye men of Antioch" (Valens)
      00:36
    • No. 17, Chorus, "Queen of summer, queen of love" (Heathens)
      00:50
    • No. 18, Aria, "Wide spread his name and make his glory" (Valens)
      02:14
    • Recitative, "Return, Septimius" (Valens)
      00:38
    • No. 19, "Venus laughing from the skies" (Heathens)
      01:19
    • No. 20, Symphony (Largo)
      01:06
    • Recitative, "O thou bright sun!" (Theodora)
      00:33
    • No. 21a, Aria, "With darkness deep, as is my woe" (Theodora)
      03:57
    • No. 21b, Sinfonia (Largo)
      01:49
    • Recitative, "But why art thou disquited, my soul?" (Theodora)
      00:29
    • No. 22, Aria, "Oh that I on wings could rise" (Theodora)
      03:41

  • Part III

    • Recitative, "Long have I known thy friendly social soul" (Didymus, Septimius)
      01:08
    • No. 23, Aria, "Though the honours that Flora and Venus receive" (Septimius)
      03:02
    • Recitative, "Oh save her then or give me pow'r to save" (Didymus, Septimius)
      00:36
    • No. 24, Aria, "Deeds of kindness to display" (Didymus)
      06:34
    • Recitative, "The clouds begin to veil the hemisphere" (Irene)
      00:39
    • No. 25, Aria, "Defend her, Heav'n, let angels spread" (Irene)
      04:36
    • Recitative, "Or lull'd with grief or rapt her soul to Heav'n" (Didymus)
      00:35
    • No. 26, Aria, "Sweet rose and lily, flow'ry form!" (Didymus)
      02:44
    • Recitative, "O save me, Heav'n, in this my perilous hour!" (Theodora, Didymus)
      01:27
    • No. 27, Aria, "The pilgrim's home, the sick man's health" (Theodora)
      03:19
    • No. 28, Recitative accompanied, "Forbid it, Heav'n!" (Didymus)
      00:32
    • Recitative, "Or, say, what right have I to take" (Didymus, Theodora)
      01:33
    • No. 29, Duet, "To thee, thou glorious son of worth" (Theodora, Didymus)
      04:35
    • Recitative, "Tis night, but night's sweet blessing" (Irene)
      00:45
    • No. 30, Chorus, "He saw the lovely thruth" (Christians)
      05:16
    • No. 31, Aria, "Lord, to thee each night and day" (Irene)
      04:20
    • Recitative, "But see, the good, the virtuous Didymus!" (Irene, Theodora)
      00:36
    • No. 32a, Aria, "When sunk in anguish and despair" (Theodora)
      04:30
    • No. 33, Solo and Chorus, "Blest be the hand" (Theodora, Christians)
      03:27
    • Recitative, "Undaunted in the court stands Didymus" (Messenger, Irene)
      00:46
    • No. 34, Recitative accompanied, "Oh my Irene, Heav'n is kind" - Recitative, "Stay me not, my friend" (Theodora)
      00:34
    • No. 35, Duet, "Wither, princess, do you fly?" (Irene, Theodora)
      01:18
    • Recitative, "She's gone! disdaining liberty" (Irene)
      00:31
    • No. 36, Aria, "New scenes of joy come crowding on" (Irene)
      03:30
    • Recitative, "Is it a Christian virtue" (Valens, Didymus) - Recitative, "Be that my doom!" (Theodora, Septimius)
      01:53
    • No. 37a, Aria, "From virtue springs each gen'rous deed" (Septimius)
      07:05
    • No. 38a, Aria, "Cease, ye slaves, your fruitless pray'r" (Valens)
      01:05
    • Recitative, "Tis kind, my friends" (Didymus, Theodora)
      00:56
    • No. 39, Chorus, "How strange their ends and yet how glorious!" (Christians)
      04:25
    • Recitative, "On me your frowns" (Didymus, Theodora, Valens) - Recitative, "Ye ministers of justice" (Valens)
      00:43
    • Recitative, "And must such beauty suffer!" (Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)
      00:39
    • No. 41, Aria and Duet, "Streams of pleasure ever flowing … Thither let our hearts aspire!" (Didymus, Theodora)
      05:20
    • Recitative, "Ere this their doom is past" (Irene)
      00:25
    • No. 42, Chorus, "Oh Love divine, thou source of fame" (Irene, Christians)
      04:09

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