Theodora HWV 68
Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest (Bass-baritone), Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian (Countertenor), Michael Spyres (Tenor), Lisette Oropesa (Soprano), Joyce DiDonato (Mezzo-soprano), Massimo Lombardi (Tenor)
2021, Essen, Philharmonie, Alfried Krupp Saal
Overture
- 02:58Overtura. (No tempo indication) – Allegro
- 01:46Trio. Larghetto e piano
- 01:36Courante
Part I
- 00:31Recitative 'Tis Dioclesian's natal day' (Valens)
- 01:53No. 1a Air 'Go, my faithful soldier, go' (Valens)
- 02:04No. 2 Chorus 'And draw a blessing down' (Chorus of Heathens)
- 01:03Recitative 'Vouchsafe, dread Sir' (Didymus, Valens)
- 03:15No. 3 Air 'Racks, gibbets, sword and fire' (Valens)
- 01:40No. 4 Chorus 'For ever thus stands fix'd the doom' (Chorus of Heathens)
- 00:36Recitative 'Most cruel edict!' (Didymus)
- 08:12No. 5 Air 'The raptur'd soul' (Didymus)
- 00:43Recitative 'I know thy virtues, and ask not thy faith' (Septimius)
- 08:12No. 6 Air 'Descend, kind Pity' (Septimius)
- 00:28Recitative 'Though hard, my friends' (Theodora)
- 04:00No. 7 Air 'Fond flatt'ring world, adieu!' (Theodora)
- 00:38Recitative 'Oh bright example of all goodness' (Irene)
- 05:52No. 8 Air 'Bane of virtue, nurse of passions' (Irene)
- 02:30No. 9 Chorus 'Come, mighty Father, mighty Lord' (Chorus of Christians)
- 01:08Recitative 'Fly, fly my brethren' (Messenger) - Recitative 'Ah! wither would we fly?' (Irene)
- 07:19No. 10 Air 'As with rosy steps' (Irene)
- 02:17No. 11 Chorus 'All pow'r in heaven above, or earth beneath' (Chorus of Christians)
- 00:20Recitative 'Mistaken wretches, why thus blind to fate' (Septimius)
- 02:42No. 12 Air 'Dread the fruits of christian folly' (Septimius)
- 01:02Recitative 'Deluded mortal!' (Theodora, Septimius)
- 00:23No. 13 Accompagnato 'Oh worse than death indeed!' (Theodora)
- 03:39No. 14 Air 'Angels, ever bright and fair' (Theodora)
- 01:13Recitative 'Unhappy, happy crew!' (Didymus, Irene)
- 05:22No. 15 Air 'Kind Heav'n, if virtue be thy care' (Didymus)
- 00:34Recitative 'Oh love, how great thy pow'r!' (Irene)
- 04:42No. 16 Chorus 'Go, gen'rous pious youth' (Chorus of Christians)
Part II
- 00:33Recitative 'Ye men of Antioch, with solemn pomp' (Valens)
- 00:43No. 17 Chorus 'Queen of summer, queen of love' (Chorus of Heathens)
- 02:12No. 18 Air 'Wide spread his name' (Valens)
- 00:41Recitative 'Return, Septimius, to the stubborn maid' (Valens)
- 01:19No. 19 Chorus 'Venus laughing from the skies' (Chorus of Heathens)
- 00:55No. 20 (Sinfonia). Largo
- 00:36Recitative 'O thou bright sun! How sweet thy rays' (Theodora)
- 03:08No. 21a Air 'With darkness deep, as is my woe' (Theodora)
- 01:03No. 21b Air (Sinfonia). Lentement
- 00:31Recitative 'But why art thou disquieted, my soul?' (Theodora)
- 03:23No. 22 Air 'Oh that I on wings could rise' (Theodora)
- 01:20Recitative 'Long have I known thy friendly social soul' (Didymus, Septimius)
- 03:13No. 23 Air 'Though the honours that Flora and Venus receive from the Romans' (Septimius)
- 00:38Recitative 'Oh save her then, or give me pow'r' (Didymus, Septimius)
- 07:01No. 24 Air 'Deeds of kindness to display' (Didymus)
- 00:41Recitative 'The clouds begin to veil the hemisphere' (Irene)
- 05:47No. 25a Air 'Defend her Heav'n' (Irene)
- 00:38Recitative 'Or lull'd with grief, or rapt her soul to Heav'n' (Didymus)
- 02:18No. 26 Air 'Sweet rose and lily' (Didymus)
- 01:34Recitative 'Oh save me, Heav'n, in this my perilous hour' (Theodora, Didymus)
- 02:58No. 27 Air 'The pilgrim's home' (Theodora)
- 00:38No. 28 Accompagnato 'Forbid it, Heav'n!' (Didymus)
- 01:58Recitative 'Or, say, what Right have I to take' (Didymus, Theodora)
- 04:26No. 29 Duet 'To thee, thou glorious son of worth' (Theodora, Didymus)
- 00:48Recitative 'Tis night; but night's sweet blessing is denied' (Irene)
- 03:42No. 30 Chorus 'He saw the lovely youth, death's early prey' (Chorus of Christians)
Part III
- 07:04No. 31 Air 'Lord, to thee each night and day' (Irene)
- 00:39Recitative 'But see, the good, the virtuous Didymus!' (Irene, Theodora)
- 03:36No. 32a Air 'When sunk in anguish and despair' (Theodora)
- 03:40No. 33 Solo and Chorus 'Blest be the hand, and blest the pow'r' (Theodora, Chorus of Christians)
- 00:50Recitative 'Undaunted in the court stands Didymus' (Messenger, Irene)
- 00:30No. 34 Accompagnato 'Oh my Irene' (Theodora)
- 00:14Recitative 'Stay me not, my friend' (Theodora)
- 01:13No. 35 Duet 'Whither, princess, do you fly?' (Irene, Theodora)
- 00:39Recitative 'She's gone! disdaining liberty and life' (Irene)
- 04:18No. 36 Air 'New scenes of joy come crowding on' (Irene)
- 01:13Recitative 'Is it a Christian virtue then' (Valens, Didymus)
- 01:03Recitative 'Be that my doom!' (Theodora, Septimius)
- 05:45No. 37a Air 'From virtue springs each gen'rous deed' (Septimius)
- 01:03No. 38a Air 'Cease, ye slaves, your fruitless pray'r' (Valens)
- 01:02Recitative 'Tis kind, my friends; but kinder still' (Didymus, Theodora)
- 02:50No. 39 Chorus 'How strange their ends and yet how glorious!' (Chorus of Heathens)
- 00:37Recitative 'On me your frowns, your utmost rage exert' (Didymus, Theodora, Valens)
- 01:27No. 40a Air 'Ye ministers of justice, lead them hence' (Valens)
- 00:54Recitative 'And must such beauty suffer?' (Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)
- 05:37No. 41 Air and Duet 'Streams of pleasure ever flowing' (Didymus, Theodora)
- 00:31Recitative 'Ere this their doom is past' (Irene)
- 02:43No. 42 Chorus 'Oh love devine, thou source of fame' (Chorus of Christians)
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