Handel: Theodora, HWV 68 – Part II

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.

Arcangelo’s collective energy and spirit have generated a flood of five-star reviews, sparked audience ovations and prompted invitations to perform at the world’s leading venues and festivals. The band, which has taken the musical world by storm since its creation in 2010, comprises outstanding young musicians under the dynamic leadership of its artistic director and founder Jonathan Cohen. Its ethos is ruled by a determination to apply the deep listening skills and artistry of chamber music making to every piece in its repertoire, from trio sonatas to oratorios.

Counter-tenor Tim Mead is praised for his “alluring” and “consistently excellent” interpretations (New York Times). With his “rich, mellifluous sound” (Guardian), he is recognised as one of the finest across the generations of counter-tenors.

Arcangelo – ensemble
Jonathan Cohen – harpsichord & direction
Louise Alder – soprano Theodora
Tim Mead – counter-tenor Didymus
Anna Stéphay – mezzo-soprano Irene
Stuart Jackson – tenor Septimius
Adam Plachetka – bass-baritone Valens