• Philippa Hyde soprano
• Helen Charlston mezzo-soprano
• Dominic Mattos countertenor
• Stephen Varcoe narrator
• Psalmody
• Essex Baroque Orchestra
• directed by Peter Holman

Theodora, the masterpiece of Handel’s old age, was said to be his favourite oratorio. Set in 4th‐century Antioch, it concerns the martyrdom of Theodora, a noble Christian lady and her lover Didymus, a Roman officer, at the hands of the villainous Roman governor Valens. Handel responded to Thomas Morell’s tragic drama with music of superb quality, by turns passionate, dramatic and full of pathos.

For this performance we have shortened the work to be able to perform it without an interval. We have retained all the best music in a sequence lasting about an hour and a half, with our chairman Stephen Varcoe providing a spoken narration. Philippa Hyde and Helen Charlston need no introduction; they will be singing the roles of Theodora and Irene respectively. Didymus is sung by Dominic Mattos, an exciting young countertenor currently singing with Opera North. We are pleased to be able to assemble a full choir and orchestra for the first time since 2019. It should be a memorable occasion.

Tickets: £18 (reserved) & £14 (unreserved)
Half-price tickets available for full-time students and under-30s
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