provide the substance, but presentation provides audiences with context and gives them tools to dissect and analyze the music for themselves. 1750 saw the premiere of Theodora, the only dramatic oratorio Handel wrote with a Christian theme. For nearly 250 years, the unfavorable critical reception of Handel’s favorite oratorio remained unchanged. A daring 1996 Glyndebourne production by American director Peter Sellars presented a full-staged version, launching Theodora onto the international stage. An oratorio that had previously been met with harsh criticism won the admiration and following of both critics and audiences. Through ritualization, Sellars breathed new life into the oratorio, and allowed for the depth and poignancy of the piece to reach its full potential. By incorporating religious symbolism, aesthetics, affect, and dramaturgy, Theodora went from a little-known work that only the Baroque erudite would know, to a tourde-force piece worthy to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of Handel’s death at the famed Salzburg Festival. Ritualized gesture, so deeply embedded with religious symbolism, adds a new layer of relevance and performativity to the oratorio, especially when sacred or religious in theme. The demands of modern reception are constantly evolving, placing an increasing pressure on directors and performers. If the reception of Theodora since 1996 and the analysis of several scenes from the Glyndebourne production teach us one thing, it is that staged oratorios can be relevant, profound, accessible, and alive.
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