Splendid performance solves musical puzzle

For much of the last century scholars puzzled over the virtual oblivion of Handel's penultimate oratorio, Theodora. It was the composer's personal favourite and there's no denying that it has some moments of great beauty.

Wednesday evening in Southam Hall the puzzle was finally solved. Theodora has never been popular because its libretto is bereft of any dramatic impetus and only a handful of the musical numbers are truly memorable.

These shortcomings could not be concealed even by a superb cast of soloists, splendid choral singing and orchestral playing and the direction of one of the world's great Handel conductors. Trevor Pinnock, formerly the National Arts Centre Orchestra's artistic director, was back on the podium to present the oratorio just about as well as it can be presented. The orchestra played at something close to its best. The string sound was mostly focused, elegant and just plain gorgeous. The solo wind playing was superb as well. Indeed, one of the evening's finest moments was the brief interlude for winds alone in Act II.

The chorus was a combination of the Cantata Singers of Ottawa and Seventeen Voyces. They sang very nicely indeed, though there were times when they weren't quite able to soar above the orchestra as they should.

The soloists were wonderful. There was a certain amount of coming and going among them, lending some visual component to the libretto's limited action.

Donna Brown sang the title role with real feeling and distinction, as is her wont, as well as with a certain dramatic verisimilitude.

Countertenor Lawrence Zazzo sang Didymus, her lover. His voice is quite beautiful in its own way and his singing does suggest a certain masculinity that not all countertenors can muster.

Gary Relyea was Valens, the bad guy of the piece. He was suitably stem and hidebound, though he didn't sing with quite the distinction of his colleagues.

Catherine Wynn-Rogers used her fine contralto voice to create a portrait of maturity and saddened dignity as Irena, while tenor Paul Agnew wowed everyone with the brilliance of his passage work.

In sum, it was a splendid performance of a work that isn't really worth the effort.