Well, I really loved Theodora! Baroque opera is just so phenomenally beautiful and hearing it in a language I understand word by word made me appreciate it 1000% more for the technique and the purpose behind every repetition and variation.
I can't even begin to accurately describe my feelings about the cast. I know best the divas (of course) and I've seen Spyres in a few things by this point and he's one of the maybe 10 tenors whose name makes my ears perk up. I think this is my first time hearing him sing baroque and hollllllly. Can he just sing everything now?
Joyce and baroque go together like pb&j in my humble opinion so hearing her in this is just magical. And seeing the way she and Lisette Oropesa interact onstage?? You'd think it was a fully staged perfect how intricate their gestures and expressions are. The whole cast was more expressive than I'd expected, but these two knocked it out of the park.
I do prefer mezzos as a general rule. But the countertenor here (whose name evades me) has such a lovely voice and is very cute ngl. My heart melted a little bit whenever he started singing. I think it helps that his character is such a pure sweet little bean who needs protection at all costs.
I had a bit of a hard time following the story even with the subtitles and synopsis but that could be because I was just transported by the heavenly music and poetry or maybe because stories centered on religion tend to go over my head (coping mechanism probably). But I really loved the characters (the heroes anyway)...Theodora and Irene have such a lovely friendship (I'd love to see where a fully staged production might take them 👀) and are individually such lovely and inspiring characters. Didymus is one of the very few operatic male leads I'm not mad at at any point during the story; he's just trying to do good and make sure no one gets hurt despite who and what they believe in. And his relationship with Theodora is so wholesome. Septimius kinda went back and forth for me but I think ultimately he's a pretty nice guy caught in a tough situation and burdened by the expectations set on him. I kinda wish he got more of a conclusion but it's not like this opera has an all-around happy ending or anything. As sad as it may be though, I can't help but feel hopeful at the end. There is still good in this world even if it gets cut short.
Anyway those are my thoughts. So happy this performance got recorded!
