Theodora : HWV 68

"Recording of the week: Oropesa brings a fuller, warmer sound to the title-role than many of her predecessors, and it makes for an interesting perspective on the character ... Likewise, Joyce DiDonato's fierce Irene is worlds away from the stoic, other-worldly serenity which Lorraine Hunt Lieberson famously brought to the role for Peter Sellars ... Il Pomo d'Oro play out of their boots for Emelyanychev, whose occasional interjections from the harpsichord are always illuminating rather than intrusive".

Læs anmeldelse

"Editor's choice: The more we come to know this compassionate, noble and sincere depiction of early Christian martyrdom, the better it gets. Such is the impression, at any rate, left by Cohen's reading, which benefits from vivid recording and a strong, even cast ... The balance of Cohen's vigorously confident singers and players allows him to make his ensemble a major character in the story ... The soloists also play their parts, led by Louise Alder as the death-welcoming Theodora ... From all this, Cohen sculpts an attractive and cohesive whole ... A strong recommendation".

"The finest performance - and the biggest single reason for acquiring the recording - is Joyce DiDonato in the role of Theodora's confidant Irene. True to form, DiDonato probes emotional extremes ... In the title-role, Lisette Oropesa's distinctive vibrato ... may initially disconcert. But she is an involving heroine, passionate in her declarations of faith ... Michael Spyres, famed above all in Berlioz, adapts his muscular tenor sensitively to the music ... Emelyanychev's Il Pomo d'Oro, based on 18 strings, are always vivid participants ... I'll keep this for DiDonato and fine solo moments elsewhere".

"Oratoriet beretter om to kristnes martyrdød under det romerske styre ... men det er musikken, som er mest påtrængende, selv om det er noget af Händels mest neddæmpede. Den rummer en alarmerende, intim skønhed, som skaber en stærk dramatisk dynamik ... Denne nye optagelse virker lovende med en rollebesætning anført af sopranen Lisette Oropesa som Theodora, stjerne-mezzosopranen Joyce DiDonato som hendes fortrolige Irene ... og Michael Spyres som den sympatiske romerske soldat Septimius. Den strålende Maxim Emelyanychev dirigerer tidlig musik-ensemblet Il Pomo d'Oro".