Cast
Florie Valiquette Theodora
Anthea Pichanik Irène
Tim Mead Didymus
Kresimir Spicer Septimius
Andreas Wolf Valens
Le Concert Spirituel
Hervé Niquet Conductor
Presentation
With Theodora, expect baroque fireworks! Aged 64, Handel was at the twilight of his career, but his creative faculty was intact: the subject his penultimate oratorio in 1749 is religious, but it has such dramatic force, that it has often been performed on stage.
Handel's successes in opera seria were already far off and he had mostly composed oratorios in the last ten years, but the dramatic vein was still central to his creativity! With an intensity worthy of the tragedy, Theodore, Virgin and Martyr, written by Corneille a century earlier, Theodora exalts the martyrdom of a Christian virgin from Antioch persecuted by the Romans. As the oratorio unfolds, the heroine loves Didyme (a Roman officer converted to Christianity), escapes Roman orgies, suffers and dies a martyr like her lover, with poignant sincerity.
Handel himself considered Theodora as his favourite oratorio: magnificent arias, rich and powerful orchestration, a grandiose score with virtuoso chorales: it is indeed a masterpiece of Handel’s twilight. To serve this first-rate oratorio, the ebullient Hervé Niquet is surrounded by a magnificent cast: discover the intoxicating wonders deployed by Handel to glorify Theodora!
PROGRAMME
Georg Friedrich Handel (1685 – 1759)
Theodora
Royal Chapel
More info
Royal Chapel - Access map
Prices
Catégorie 3
Catégorie 2
Catégorie 1
Prestige
Prestige VIP
PRESTIGE VIP CATEGORY: Best seats in house with complimentary glass of champagne and programme.
PRESTIGE CATEGORY: Excellent seats with complimentary glass of champagne and programme.
REDUCED RATE applicable to under 26s, Chateau de Versailles Spectacles card holders and groups of more than 10 people (excluding special company offer).
To ensure the best welcome possible, people with limited mobility are advised to book their seats by telephone at +33 (0)1 30 83 78 89.
In case of any technical problem, the box office service remain available to complete your order by phone at +33 (0)1 30 83 78 89 (Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm) or in our box office-shop (3 bis rue des Réservoirs, 78000 Versailles ; Monday-Friday from 11am to 6pm, and on Saturdays with concerts or shows except during the Musical Fountains Shows, from 2pm to 5pm).
