Theodora

Remarkable Ariodante in 2023 under the direction of William Christie, the mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre embodies a new Handel character this season who faces cruel trials: Theodora, a Christian martyr persecuted by the Roman Empire.

In Handel’s work, the line between opera and oratorio is blurred. Theodora is proof of this: its English libretto, written by Thomas Morell, and its Christian subject matter offers no distraction from its theatrical power. In 1749, Handel delivered one of his last oratorios, even though he had abandoned opera eight years earlier. The eloquence of his musical inspiration and the poignant emotion of its double tragic ending—the work leads to the death of Theodora and her lover, the converted Roman officer Didymus—make each concert a mental representation of passion, whether romantic or mystical. Alongside countertenor Hugh Cutting (Didymus) and mezzo-soprano Avery Amereau (Irene), Lea Desandre is reunited with her collaborators, the Jupiter Ensemble and its artistic director Thomas Dunford.

Artistic Director Thomas Dunford 
Orchestra and Choir Ensemble Jupiter

Theodora Lea Desandre 
Didymus Hugh Cutting 
Irene Avery Amereau (replacing Véronique Gens)
Septimius Laurence Kilsby 
Valens Alex Rosen

_{Photo © Angéline Moizard}