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''Theodora'' (HWV 68) is a dramatic oratorio in three acts by George Frideric Handel, set to an English libretto by Thomas Morell. The oratorio concerns the Christian martyr Theodora and her Christian-converted Roman lover, Didymus. It had its first performance at Covent Garden Theatre on 16 March 1750. Not popular with audiences in Handel's day, "Theodora" is now recognised as a masterpiece and is sometimes fully staged as an opera. ==Context, analysis, and performance history== Handel wrote ''Theodora'' during his last period of composition. He was sixty-four years old when he began working on it in June 1749. He had written the oratorios ''Solomon'' and ''Susanna'' the previous year. ''Theodora'' would be his penultimate oratorio. ''Theodora'' differs from the former two oratorios because it is a tragedy, ending in the death of the heroine and her converted lover. It is also Handel's only dramatic oratorio in English on a Christian subject. Thomas Morell (1703–1784) had worked with Handel before on several oratorios. He and Handel were good friends; the composer left the librettist 200 pounds in his will. Morell's source for the libretto was ''The Martyrdom of Theodora and of Didymus'' (1687) by Robert Boyle, a prominent scientist and theologian. He also borrowed from Corneille's ''Théodore, Vierge et Martyre''.〔 Handel finished the oratorio on 31 July 1749, and its premiere was on 16 March 1750. ''Theodora'' was a failure with the public and only played three times. There are at least two explanations for this. First, the theme of the persecution and martyrdom of a Christian saint may have been too removed from the Old Testament narratives that Londoners had become accustomed to from Handel's dramatic oratorios.〔 Secondly, an earthquake that transpired about a week before the premiere had caused some of Handel's usual patrons to flee the city.〔 It was the least performed of all his oratorios, being revived only once in 1755. Some of Handel's patrons appreciated the work, however. Lord Shaftesbury wrote in a letter to a friend "I can't conclude a letter and forget "Theodora". I have heard the work three times and will venture to pronounce it as finished, beautiful and labour'd (worked-out ) a composition as ever Handel made. To my knowledge, this took him up a great while in composing. The Town don't like it at all, but ... several excellent musicians think as I do."〔 One of Handel's most loyal and enthusiastic supporters, Mary Delany, wrote to her sister Ann saying "Don't you remember our snug enjoyment of "Theodora?" Her sister replied "Surely "Theodora" will have justice at last, if it was to be again performed, but the generality of the world have ears and ''hear not''".〔 There are two surviving quotes of Handel about ''Theodora''. Morell quotes Handel as saying "The Jews will not come to it because it is a Christian story; and the ladies will not come because it is a virtuous one." Handel's colleague Burney took note when two musicians asked for free tickets for ''Messiah'' and Handel responded "Oh your servant, meine Herren! you are damnable dainty! you would not go to ''Theodora'' - there was room enough to dance there, when that was perform"! ''Theodora'' was actually Handel's favorite of his oratorios. The composer himself ranked the final chorus of Act II, "He saw the lovely youth," "far beyond" "Hallelujah" in ''Messiah''.〔 It has sometimes been staged as an opera, most notably in the highly acclaimed 1996 production by Peter Sellars at Glyndebourne. This production, conducted by William Christie, starred Dawn Upshaw as Theodora, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson as Irene and David Daniels as Didymus. The plot has some elements of a rescue opera. The original libretto included an extra scene in which Septimius converted to Christianity himself, however this was never set by Handel, though it was printed. The second scene in Act 2 was also subject to several revisions by Handel. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Theodora (Handel)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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