A new production directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski.
If the stubborn maid, deigns an offering to the great gods, who subjected the world to conqu’ring Rome, she shall be free; if not, the meanest of my guards with lustful joy shall triumph o’er her boasted chastity.” As the sentence is spoken, Theodora steadfastly gives herself up to her executioners. Through her exemplary punishment, the Roman authorities seek to subjugate the Christian community of Antioch. To public humiliation, Theodora opposes the righteousness of an unshakeable faith, which sets ablaze the heart of Didymus, the Roman officer who is willing to do anything to save her.
In the early 1740s, Handel gave up opera seria to devote himself to oratorios in English. This conversion gave rise to several masterpieces, including Theodora, composed in the dim twilight of his life. On the verge of losing his sight, the composer developed a refined and internalised style, giving life to figures from the Christian lives of the saints. Designed to be performed in concert, Theodora is nevertheless endowed with an intense theatricality brought to life by Krzysztof Warlikowski, with the help of Raphaël Pichon conducting Pygmalion. (Grand Théâtre de Genève)
