Music
The oratorio has a good variety of arias and choruses. Most of the solo pieces are da capo arias. There are three duets, the last being a sublime piece in which Theodora and Didymus die.
Handel uses trumpets, horns, and drums in the Roman scenes and flutes are in the prison scene, but some arias are very lightly accompanied which raises them far above the text.
The oratorio is scored for 2 sections of violins, violas, cellos, double basses, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 1 contrabassoon, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, harpsichord, and organ. A harpsichord and violoncello play the continuo.
Read more about this topic: Theodora (Handel)
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