gives the choruses of Roman pagans, presented in the libretto as evil people gloating over the torture of Christians, "immense verve and charm". This is contrasted with the quiet, deep conviction of the music for the choruses of Christians. The chorus "He saw the lovely youth", Handel's favorite of all the choruses he wrote, depicts Jesus' raising from the dead of the widow's son in Luke, chapter 7. Beginning with slow and solemn chromatic figures in a minor key, the music switches to major as the youth returns to life and ends with joy as the boy is restored to his mother. The work is notable for many passages of exalted and radiant beauty as well as for skilled characterisation through music. 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. Flutes are introduced in the prison scene, but some arias are very lightly accompanied which raises them far above the text. List of musical numbers (Note: "Symphony" in this context means a purely instrumental piece, a sinfonia. "Accompagnato" is a recitative accompanied by the orchestra, rather than by continuo instruments only, as in the passages marked "recitative".) Act 1 Scene 1 Valens, Didymus, Septimius, Chorus of Heathens 1. Overture – Trio – Courante 2. Recitative (Valens) "'Tis Dioclesian's natal day" 3. Air (Valens) "Go,my faithful servant,go" 4. Chorus of Heathens "And draw a blessing down" 5. Recitative (Didymus, Valens) "Vouchsafe, dread sir" 6. Air (Valens) "Racks, gibbets, sword and fire" 7. Chorus of Heathens "For ever thus stands fix'd the doom" Scene 2 8. Recitative (Didymus) "Most cruel edict" 9. Air (Didymus) "The raptur'd soul" 10.Recitative (Septimius) "I know thy virtues" 11. Air (Septimius) "Descend, kind pity" Scene 3 Theodora, with the Christians 12. Recitative (Theodora) "Though hard, my friends" 13. Air (Theodora) "Fond, flatt'ring world, adieu!" 14. Recitative (Irene) "O bright example of all goodness!" 15. Air (Irene) "Bane of virtue" 16. Chorus of Christians "Come, mighty Father" Scene 4 Enter Messenger 17. Recitative (Messenger,Irene) "Fly, fly, my brethren" 18. Air (Irene) "As with rosy steps the morn" 19. Chorus of Christians "All pow'r in Heav'n above" Scene 5 Enter Septimius 20. Recitative (Septimius) "Mistaken wretches!" 21. Air (Septimius) "Dread the fruits of Christian folly" 22. Recitative (Theodora, Septimius) "Deluded mortal!" 23. Accompagnato (Theodora)"Oh, worse than death indeed!" 24. Air (Theodora)"Angels,