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Theodora HWV 68

Libretto: Thomas Morell
William Christie, Les Arts Florissants, Choeur Les Arts Florissants, Sophie Daneman (Soprano), Daniel Taylor (Countertenor), Richard Croft (Tenor), Nathan Berg (Bass), Juliette Galstian (Mezzo-soprano), Laurent Slaars (Baritone), Béatrice Martin (Harpsichord), David Simpson (Violoncello), Elizabeth Kenny (Theorbo), Jonathan Cable (Double Bass)
2000 - 2000, Paris, IRCAM (Espace de projection)

  • Overture

    • Overtura. (No tempo indication) – Allegro
      03:05
    • Trio. Larghetto e piano
      01:33
    • Courante
      01:40

  • Part I

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

  • Part II

    • Recitative 'Ye men of Antioch, with solemn pomp' (Valens)
      00:36
    • No. 17 Chorus 'Queen of summer, queen of love' (Chorus of Heathens)
      00:50
    • No. 18 Air 'Wide spread his name' (Valens)
      02:14
    • Recitative 'Return, Septimius, to the stubborn maid' (Valens)
      00:38
    • No. 19 Chorus 'Venus laughing from the skies' (Chorus of Heathens)
      01:19
    • No. 20 (Sinfonia). Largo
      01:06
    • Recitative 'O thou bright sun! How sweet thy rays' (Theodora)
      00:33
    • No. 21a Air 'With darkness deep, as is my woe' (Theodora)
      03:57
    • No. 21b Air (Sinfonia). Lentement
      01:49
    • Recitative 'But why art thou disquieted, my soul?' (Theodora)
      00:29
    • No. 22 Air 'Oh that I on wings could rise' (Theodora)
      03:41
    • Recitative 'Long have I known thy friendly social soul' (Didymus, Septimius)
      01:08
    • No. 23 Air 'Though the honours that Flora and Venus receive from the Romans' (Septimius)
      03:02
    • Recitative 'Oh save her then, or give me pow'r' (Didymus, Septimius)
      00:36
    • No. 24 Air 'Deeds of kindness to display' (Didymus)
      06:34
    • Recitative 'The clouds begin to veil the hemisphere' (Irene)
      00:39
    • No. 25a Air 'Defend her Heav'n' (Irene)
      04:36
    • Recitative 'Or lull'd with grief, or rapt her soul to Heav'n' (Didymus)
      00:35
    • No. 26 Air 'Sweet rose and lily' (Didymus)
      02:44
    • Recitative 'Oh save me, Heav'n, in this my perilous hour' (Theodora, Didymus)
      01:27
    • No. 27 Air 'The pilgrim's home' (Theodora)
      03:19
    • No. 28 Accompagnato '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 is denied' (Irene)
      00:45
    • No. 30 Chorus 'He saw the lovely youth, death's early prey' (Chorus of Christians)
      05:16

  • Part III

    • No. 31 Air 'Lord, to thee each night and day' (Irene)
      04:20
    • Recitative 'But see, the good, the virtuous Didymus!' (Irene, Theodora)
      00:36
    • No. 32a Air 'When sunk in anguish and despair' (Theodora)
      04:30
    • No. 33 Solo and Chorus 'Blest be the hand, and blest the pow'r' (Theodora, Chorus of Christians)
      03:27
    • Recitative 'Undaunted in the court stands Didymus' (Messenger, Irene)
      00:46
    • No. 34 Accompagnato 'Oh my Irene' (Theodora) – Recitative 'Stay me not, my friend' (Theodora)
      00:34
    • No. 35 Duet 'Whither, princess, do you fly?' (Irene, Theodora)
      01:18
    • Recitative 'She's gone! disdaining liberty and life' (Irene)
      00:31
    • No. 36 Air 'New scenes of joy come crowding on' (Irene)
      03:30
    • Recitative 'Is it a Christian virtue then' (Valens, Didymus) – Recitative 'Be that my doom!' (Theodora, Septimius)
      01:53
    • No. 37a Air 'From virtue springs each gen'rous deed' (Septimius)
      07:05
    • No. 38a Air 'Cease, ye slaves, your fruitless pray'r' (Valens)
      01:05
    • Recitative 'Tis kind, my friends; but kinder still' (Didymus, Theodora)
      00:56
    • No. 39 Chorus 'How strange their ends and yet how glorious!' (Chorus of Heathens)
      04:25
    • Recitative 'On me your frowns, your utmost rage exert' (Didymus, Theodora, Valens) – Recitative 'Ye ministers of justice, lead them hence' (Valens)
      00:43
    • Recitative 'And must such beauty suffer?' (Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)
      00:39
    • No. 41 Air and Duet 'Streams of pleasure ever flowing' (Didymus, Theodora)
      05:20
    • Recitative 'Ere this their doom is past' (Irene)
      00:25
    • No. 42 Chorus 'Oh love devine, thou source of fame' (Chorus of Christians)
      04:09

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