BaL 22.06.24 - Handel: Theodora

[oliver sudden]

The Christie recording from Glyndebourne is just spectacular as far as I’m concerned. The piece is practically tailor-made for the Peter Sellars treatment and the singers are amazing. Hunt is incredible as Irene—to my ear she’s not as good a fit for the title role with McGegan, and Upshaw has the perfect not-of-this-world obsessiveness. Croft is pretty much perfect. David Daniels is extraordinary but DO NOT GOOGLE HIM if you wish to listen to him objectively. (Alas I no longer can. I haven’t got the DVD out for years and I’m a bit worried about what will happen when next I do.)

[MickyD]

Micky - pretty cheap in France too -

https://www.amazon.fr/s?k=B000000SDA

.

Ha ha, yes, I did see that, Vints....these days I'm trying to restrain myself from extra versions due to increasingly lacking shelf space! I'm sure you know the feeling....

[Belgrove]

The Christie recording from Glyndebourne is just spectacular as far as I’m concerned. …

I agree. I got the DVD as a memento of attending a performance. I can’t recall attending any performance of a work where there were audible sobs from audience members by the end - it’s very moving, tragic and beautiful. But if you want to experience something truly otherworldly, then Orlinski’s Didymus in the ROH/Bicket version is just extraordinary (Bullock and Didonato are pretty stellar too). That production will not be to everyone’s taste - I loved it.

[Pulcinella]

I can't help being amused whenever I see the Arnold Schoenberg Choir (as in the Harnoncourt recording) singing this sort of repertoire.
Maybe they sing all the same notes but in a serial order instead.

[smittims]

Naughty, naughty! Remember the Gabrieli Quartet recorded Frank Bridge,and the Mendelssohn Choir recorded Vaughan Williams. I do wonder though if members of the Vivaldi Society became impatient as more of their fiunds were devoted to Derek Solomons' Haydn Symphony project, fine though it was while it lasted.

[Darloboy]

Previously covered by BaL in September 2013 when Richard Wigmore chose McCreesh as top recommendation. As it was only available on download at the time, he chose Christie as CD choice. He also recommended the Christie DVD/Blu ray. I recall he also played some of Somary's recording as an example of old school Handel.

There was also a Handel Oratorios Survey in November 1997 when Jonathan Keates recommended McGegan's recording of Theodora.

[LMcD]

Summary of available versions from the Presto site (listed by conductor, and naming only the ensemble, not soloists etc)

ROH/Bicket (BR, DVD)
Freiburg Barockorchester/Bolton (BR, DVD)
Les Arts Florissants/Christie (D)
Arcangelo/Cohen (CD, D)
Il Pomo d'Oro/Emelyanychev (CD, D)
Freiburg Barockorchester/Martini (CD, D)
Gabrieli/McCreesh (D)
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra/McGegan (D)
Collegium Cartusianum/Neumann (CD, DVD)
Bachorchester Mainz/Otto (CD)
ECO/Somary (CD: in the 65-CD Brilliant Classics Handel box)

Code: BR=Blu-ray, CD= CD, D=download, DVD=DVD

Interesting to see DVDs mentioned among available versions - my 'go-to' recordings of Gerontius and the War Requiem are both in that format. I also notice that BBC MM CDs now to be mentioned regularly in BaL discussions regardless of whether they have or have not reappeared as commercial recordings.

[Pulcinella]

Interesting to see DVDs mentioned among available versions - my 'go-to' recordings of Gerontius and the War Requiem are both in that format. I also notice that BBC MM CDs now to be mentioned regularly in BaL discussions regardless of whether they have or have not reappeared as commercial recordings.

You can blame Alison for that!


There were so few versions of Theodora that I felt in this instance it was worth listing DVD versions (if only for discussion on this thread).

[MickyD]

Interesting that the newest recording won the laurels, thereby trouncing McCreesh. But I think I'll remain happy with the latter, no need for a second version. A pity that the old Harnoncourt didn't get a mention, though maybe that counter tenor ruled him out of court from the start.

[CallMePaul]

I emjoyed this BAL, playing substantial excerpts from a work I do not know at all. For once I agreed with the reviewer's final choice, based on my perception of the excerpts played.

[akiralx]

Naughty, naughty! Remember the Gabrieli Quartet recorded Frank Bridge,and the Mendelssohn Choir recorded Vaughan Williams.

Also The Monterverdi Choir in The Merry Widow (Gardiner on DG).

[Nick Armstrong]

For once I agreed with the reviewer's final choice, based on my perception of the excerpts played.

Me too

[Master Jacques]

A disappointing BaL, from a reviewer who majors on describing her reaction to Handel's music, while ignoring aspects of the performances sampled which demand comment but get ignored (e.g. Louise Alder's patches of attenuated tone, tendency to wobble, unclear diction and uneven production).

Far too much time has been wasted narrating the bare plot (rather badly) and almost as much telling us how such-and-such made her "feel". None has been spent on the oratorio's interpretation. More facts, please - and much more analysis of how the performers are doing what they're doing. We need someone expert in singing and drama to review Theodora, rather than an academic's lecture on how Handel's music affects their feelings. This is a distanced classical piece, not a slice of romantic TV realism. A good demonstration of what's gone wrong with the BaL series.

[Edit: I've just reached the praise lavished by Mr McG and the reviewer on Joyce di Donato's grotesquely self-indulgent Irene. Don't they hear how this singer's inappropriate carollings weaken Handel's musical line? No, because she's famous and apparently beyond reproach.]