And Just in Case Clicking a Link Feels Like Too Much Work...

...how do you feel about embedded audio of Handel's Theodora, as performed last month at Carnegie Hall?

Thank you WQXR. And thank you, Stray! 

More Handel: Theodora from Carnegie Hall – This Sunday at 7

         The English Concert Plays Handel's Theodora

From the WQXR website:

Last month, early-music specialist Harry Bicket came to Carnegie Hall with the English Concert for the latest installment in their Handel project—the rarely heard oratorio Theodora.

Tune in Sunday at 7 pm to hear that performance featuring an all-star lineup of soloists: soprano Dorothea Röschmann, mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly, countertenor David Daniels, tenor Kurt Streit and bass-baritone Neal Davies.

On choral duties is the Choir of Trinity Wall Street led by Julian Wachner.

Theodora was "Handel's biggest flop and the piece he was most proud of," according to Bicket. But then one could look at other works that "perhaps didn't have such a great reception the first time around and we now appreciate as the masterpieces that they are." Bicket called it a social-political story, influenced by Thomas Paine, among other thinkers, and also an introspective work.

Performers

• The English Concert
  Harry Bicket, Artistic Director and Conductor
• Dorothea Röschmann, Soprano (Theodora)
• Sarah Connolly, Mezzo-Soprano (Irene)
• David Daniels, Countertenor (Didymus)
• Kurt Streit, Tenor (Septimius)
• Neal Davies, Bass-Baritone (Valens)
• The Choir of Trinity Wall Street
  Julian Wachner, Director of Music and the Arts

Update 3/17/2014: It's down there in the comments, but in case you don't make it that far, I wanted to call your attention to the following information from a blog buddy who shared the link to the WQXR archive of this broadcast: 

stray March 17, 2014 at 6:40 PM Wouldn't it be great if some radio station archived it online? Absolutely!

As Seen on Facebook...

This shout-out to Alban Berg by Thomas Hampson, who is preparing his Met role debut:

A rebuttal by David Daniels to a review of the UK version of the recent English Concert Theodora, (he's not participating in the UK/Europe run) and a candid rehearsal photo from Carnegie Hall, featuring our beloved Dorothea Röschmann:

And this from David Bižić (who is starring in Don Giovanni in Vienna with several other artists of interest):

More Agrippina from Liceu

What I didn't mention in my last Agrippina post is that the staging in Liceu is by David McVicar. (Partly because that’s not as pertinent when listening on the radio.) So far, I haven't seen any naked executioners, but there is cocaine use, some smooth Gene Kelly style hoofing, and an amusing vignette in which Sarah Connolly (not in pants, for a change) and Danielle de Niese show up at a party wearing the same gown. 

Danielle De Niese i Sarah Connolly. (foto: A. Bofill)

These are among the videos (below) that the Gran Teatre del Liceu have shared for us on the Toob of Yooo. Can there be a full video out there on the horizon? 

Monteverdi Monday – Magdelena Kožená and David Daniels: Pur ti miro

From a November 23, 2005 Concert in Paris. (Sadly, it's audio only)

Gratuitous Friday – David Daniels is Oscar Wilde

Ken Howard/Santa Fe Opera

Theodore Morrison's Oscar, based on the writer and wit Oscar Wilde, premieres tomorrow at the Santa Fe Opera, with David Daniels in the title role.

Here is today's NPR piece on David Daniels, as heard on Morning Edition.  

And here a link to David singing My Sweet Rose from Oscar, recorded at dress rehearsal the other night.

And here is David discussing Oscar (before he shaved off his beard):

Giulio Cesare: Audio Webcast Monday, Live in HD Next Weekend

I always forget to tune in to these webcasts. There are two more this season.

And of course, we can head to the cinema next Saturday to catch this:

I wonder who will be singing Cleopatterer...