Handel: Theodora, HWV 60 Louise Alder, Tim Mead, Anna Stéphany, Stuart Jackson, Adam Plachetka, Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen

• George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759): Theodora, HWV 68, Overture:
• 1 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Overture: Grave - Allegro 03:10
• 2 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Overture: Trio 01:37
• 3 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Overture: Courante 01:12
• Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I:
• 4 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. ’Tis Dioclesian’s Natal Day 00:34
• 5 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air. Go, My Faithful Soldier 01:54
• 6 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Chorus. And Draw A Blessing Down 02:13
• 7 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. Vouchsafe, Dread Sir 00:57
• 8 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air. Racks, Gibbets, Sword, & Fire 03:26
• 9 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Chorus. For Ever Thus Stands Fix’d The Doom 01:44
• 10 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. Most Cruel Edict! 00:34
• 11 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air. The Raptur’d Soul Defies The Sword 07:50
• 12 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. I Know Thy Virtues 00:53
• 13 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air’ Descend, Kind Pity, Heav’nly Guest 07:34
• 14 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. Tho’ Hard, My Friends 00:32
• 15 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air. Fond, Flatt’ring World, Adieu! 04:38
• 16 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. O Bright Example Of All Goodness! 00:33
• 17 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air. Bane Of Virtue, Nurse Of Passions 05:24
• 18 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Chorus. Come, Mighty Father, Mighty Lord 03:09
• 19 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. Fly, Fly, My Brethren 00:58
• 20 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air. As With Rosy Steps The Morn Advancing 07:08
• 21 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Chorus. All Pow’r In Heav’n Above 02:16
• 22 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. Mistaken Wretches! 00:24
• 23 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air. Dread The Fruits Of Christian Folly 03:03
• 24 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. Deluded Mortal! 00:51
• 25 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative, Accompany’d 'O Worse Than Death Indeed! 00:22
• 26 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air. Angels, Ever Bright, & Fair 03:22
• 27 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. Unhappy Happy Crew! 00:49
• 28 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Air. Kind Heav’n, If Virtue Be Thy Care 05:33
• 29 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Recitative. O Love! How Great Thy Pow’r! 00:24
• 30 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. I: Chorus. Go, Gen’rous, Pious Youth 04:35
• Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II:
• 31 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. Ye Men Of Antioch 00:33
• 32 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Chorus. Queen Of Summer, Queen Of Love 00:38
• 33 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Air. Wide Spread His Name 02:21
• 34 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. Return, Septimius, To The Stubborn Maid 00:34
• 35 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Chorus. Venus Laughing From The Skies 01:17
• 36 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Sinfonia 00:57
• 37 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. O Thou Bright Sun! 00:36
• 38 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Air. With Darkness Deep As Is My Woe 04:07
• 39 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Symphony Of Soft Musick 01:29
• 40 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. But Why Art Thou Disquieted, My Soul? 00:27
• 41 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Air. O That I On Wings Cou’d Rise 03:21
• 42 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. Long Have I Known Thy Friendly Social Soul 01:06
• 43 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Air. Tho’ The Honours 03:48
• 44 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. O Save Her Then, Or Give Me Pow’r To Save 00:40
• 45 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Air. Deeds Of Kindness To Display 06:29
• 46 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. The Clouds Begin To Veil The Hemisphere 00:42
• 47 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Air. Defend Her, Heav’n 05:37
• 48 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. Or Lull’d With Grief 00:34
• 49 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Air. Sweet Rose, & Lily 02:41
• 50 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. O Save Me, Heav’n 01:09
• 51 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Air. The Pilgrim’s Home 03:20
• 52 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative, Accompany’d 'Forbid It, Heav’n! 00:25
• 53 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. Or Say, What Right Have I 01:19
• 54 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Duet. To Thee, Thou Glorious Son Of Worth 04:29
• 55 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Recitative. ’Tis Night 00:55
• 56 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. II: Chorus. He Saw The Lovely Youth 04:32
• Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III:
• 57 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Air. Lord To Thee, Each Night, & Day 05:21
• 58 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. But See, The Good, The Virtuous Didymus! 00:36
• 59 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Air. When Sunk In Anguish, & Despair 03:50
• 60 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Chorus. Blest Be The Hand 03:09
• 61 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. Undaunted In The Court Stands Didymus 00:49
• 62 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative, Accompany’d 'O My Irene, Heav’n Is Kind 00:26
• 63 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. Stay Me Not, Dear Friend 00:11
• 64 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Duet. Whither, Princess, Do You Fly 01:14
• 65 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. She’s Gone, Disdaining Liberty & Life 00:40
• 66 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Air. New Scenes Of Joy Come Crowding On 03:57
• 67 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. Is It A Christian Virtue Then 01:03
• 68 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. Be That My Doom 01:03
• 69 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Air. From Virtue Springs Each Generous Deed 06:06
• 70 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Air. Cease, Ye Slaves, Your Fruitless Pray’r 01:07
• 71 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. ’Tis Kind, My Friends 00:48
• 72 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Chorus. How Strange Their Ends 03:19
• 73 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. On Me Your Frowns 00:30
• 74 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Air. Ye Ministers Of Justice 01:22
• 75 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. And Must Such Beauty Suffer! 00:53
• 76 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Air. Streams Of Pleasure Ever Flowing’ / Duet. Thither Let Our Hearts Aspire 06:02
• 77 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Recitative. Ere This Their Doom Is Past 00:26
• 78 Handel: Theodora, HWV 68, Pt. III: Chorus. O Love Divine, Thou Source Of Fame 03:09
• Total Runtime 02:57:46

Info for Handel: Theodora, HWV 60

Among Handel's seventeen English oratorios, Theodora (1750) is unique. The story is not taken from the Bible, it is set in the Christian era, there is no national triumph and it does not end in joy. At the end, the hero and heroine are dead, the community with which the audience identifies is in mortal danger, and the final chorus is in a minor key. As a musical drama, it is the direct ancestor of Dialogues des Carmélites . At the age of 65, Handel produced a work that was too radical and complex for most of his audience. Today, Theodora is regarded as a benchmark "thinking person’s opera", both deeply stimulating and powerfully moving.

Louise Alder, soprano
Tim Mead, counter-tenor
Anna Stephany, mezzo-soprano
Stuart Jackson, tenor
Adam Plachetka, bass-baritone
Arcangelo
Jonathan Cohen, harpsichord, director

Louise Alder
studied at the Royal College of Music International Opera School where she was the inaugural Kiri Te Kanawa Scholar. She won the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize at the 2017 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition and the Young Singer Award at the 2017 International Opera Awards.

Recent highlights have included Susanna Le nozze di Figaro for the Wiener Staatsoper, the Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich and the Opernhaus Zürich; Zerlina Don Giovanni for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and the Teatro Real in Madrid; Gretel Hänsel und Gretel and Marzelline Fidelio for the Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich; Sophie Der Rosenkavalier for the Wiener Staatsoper and the Glyndebourne Festival; Anne Trulove The Rake’s Progress for the Glyndebourne Festival and Cleopatra Giulio Cesare for the Theater an der Wien and Oper Frankfurt. In concert she has sung with the London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Petrenko, the New York Philharmonic/Harry Bicket and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Gardiner.

Her recital appearances include the BBC Proms, Graz Musikverein and the Oper Frankfurt with Gary Matthewman, Wigmore Hall with both Joseph Middleton and James Baillieu, the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg with Daniel Heide and the Oxford Lieder Festival and Fundación Privada Victoria de los Ángeles in Barcelona with Sholto Kynoch. In the 2023/24 season she curates a season-long residency at London’s Wigmore Hall.

Jonathan Cohen
is one of Britain's finest young musicians. He has forged a remarkable career as a conductor, cellist and keyboardist. Well known for his passion and commitment to chamber music Jonathan is equally at home in such diverse activities as baroque opera and the classical symphonic repertoire. He is Artistic Director of Arcangelo, Associate Conductor of Les Arts Florissants and Artistic Director of Tetbury Festival.

Recent conducting highlights have included Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kammerakademie Potsdam and performances of Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie at Glyndebourne Festival. Future conducting dates include Le Nozze di Figaro with Opera de Dijon and Opéra Théâtre de Saint-Etienne, Lockenhaus Festival, Verbier Festival, NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover, Hague Philharmonic Orchestra, Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Vasteras Sinfonietta, South Jutland Symphony Orchestra, reinvitations to Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Budapest Festival Orchestra, and Aalto Theater Essen with Mozart’s Die Entführing aus dem Serail. With Les Arts Florissants he conducts in Vienna and St. Petersburg.

Jonathan founded Arcangelo, with whom he performs high quality and specially created projects. He tours with them to exceptional halls and festivals such as Philharmonie Berlin, Vienna Musikverein, Köln Philharmonie, Ghent Cathedral, and Carnegie Hall New York. Recent highlights include Bach’s B Minor Mass in Ghent and Handel’s Apollo e Dafne at Zankel Hall New York. Arcangelo are busy and much in demand in the recording studio, partnering with fine soloists. Jonathan and Arcangelo have received five star reviews with ‘Porpora cantatas’ and ‘Arias for Guadagni’ with Iestyn Davies on Hyperion, the latter disc won the Recital Category at the 2012 Gramophone Classical Music Awards. Other recordings are ‘Enchanted Forest’ with Anna Prohaska on Deutsche Grammophon, ‘Amoretti’ with Christiane Karg (Mozart, Gluck) on Berlin Classics, Handel’s ‘Finest Arias for Base Voice’ with Christopher Purves on Hyperion and their most recent disc ‘Monteverdi Sestina Madrigals’.

Arcangelo
is one of the world’s leading ensembles, bringing together exceptional musicians who excel on both historical and modern instruments, brought together by founder and artistic director Jonathan Cohen. Its players believe that the collaboration required in chamber music, whether working in duos or as a chamber orchestra, is the highest expression of what it means to make music. Setting it apart from other ensembles, all performers are committed to this chamber ideal and as such Arcangelo attracts an outstanding calibre of performers who already have flourishing solo and chamber music careers. Their repertoire is principally from the early, baroque and classical periods, although there have been various successes with later repertoire and there are plans to develop in this direction in the future.

Formed in 2010, Arcangelo has exploded onto the musical scene with verve and energy and has since enjoyed numerous invitations to appear at major festivals and concert halls in Europe and America. In August 2015 the Lachrminae Tour with Anna Prohaska was extremely well received by audiences across the UK, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Spain.

Later that year, Arcangelo appeared at the Dresden Arts Festival with music by Bach and Pergolesi, as well in the UK and Belgium with a tour of Three Bach Magnificats. In February 2016, the group toured with young and upcoming Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang, performing Mozart violin concertos at the Oslo Opera House and Zurich’s Tonhalle, where it was described by the Swiss newspaper Neue Zücher Zinder as ‘an ideal Mozart orchestra’.

Arcangelo has also won great critical acclaim for its CD releases. Arcangelo’s debut CD was released with Hyperion Records in 2011 and featured cantatas by Porpora with star countertenor Iestyn Davies and was met with great success. According to The Guardian, ‘the musicianship is exquisite … and the embellishments are gorgeous’. Since this first recording, Arcangelo has collaborated with soloists both well-known and less well-known, cast at the highest level for each individual artistic project. Arcangelo’s subsequent albums have included partnerships with soprano Christiane Karg for a selection of stage arias in a disc entitled Scene! and Christopher Purves in a recording Finest Arias for Base Voice. This was selected by BBC Radio 3 as one of the outstanding recordings of the year and nominated for a 2013 Gramophone Award. In February 2015, Arcangelo’s recording of Mozart concertos with Vilde Frang on Warner Classics reached No. 1 in the UK specialist classical chart, was awarded an Echo Klassik Concert Recording of the Year and The Sunday Times Classical album of the week. Scene! won an Echo Klassik award in 2016. In 2017 it won a BBC Music Magazine award and a Gramophone Award, and in 2018 was shortlisted for a Grammy and a BBC Music Magazine award once again. Most recently, in 2019, a second recording of arias with Christopher Purves – Finest Arias for Base Voice Vol.2 – has won Arcangelo its seventh nomination for a Gramophone Award.

Booklet for Handel: Theodora, HWV 60