Handel Theodora

Susan Gritton (soprano), Robin Blaze (counter-tenor),

Paul Agnew (tenor), Susan Bickley (mezzo-soprano)

Gabrieli Consort & Players

Paul McCreesh (conductor)

“The first performance of Theodora was a conspicuous failure with Handel’s audience, and, as often in such situations, Handel succumbed to what might be described as a mild form of artistic paranoia (or – from another perspective – good commercial instinct), cutting the score to such a degree as to make little artistic sense. Whilst one might argue that certain recitative cuts that Handel kept in later performances hasten the dramatic action, they inevitably diminish the literary forms; in a work as consistently inspired as Theodora it is hard to see any advantage in cutting any arias. This recording therefore restores the entire text as sung at the first 1750 performance, in as far as this can be discerned from the source material.” – Paul McCreesh

Excerpt: “To thee, Thou glorious Son of Worth”

BUY: Deutsche Grammophon | Amazon | iTunes