The oratorio "Theodora" premiered on March 16, 1750 at the Covent Garden Theatre and visibly surprised Londoners. Handel had indeed made a complete about-face in his choice of subject matter. The grandiose episodes of the Old Testament, the glorious battles of Solomon, Saul, or Judas Maccabeus belong to the past: the young martyr Theodora neither leads a community nor troops into battle. In a work far removed from the grand spectacle of biblical oratorios, Handel invites us to witness a gripping personal story. It concerns the beginnings of Christianity, motivated by faith and conscience and the heartache they cause.