This week we are actually talking about an oratorio......YAY! We dive into the world of Theodora which was written by George Frideric Handel with the libretto by Thomas Morell. This story is based off Robert Boyle's The Martyrdom of Theodora and Didymus. Valens, a Roman Ruler, says that everyone needs to make a sacrifice to the God Jupiter, and those who don't will be executed. Among the people who do not want to is Theodora as she does not worship Jupiter to which her punishment isn't death, but prostitution. She escapes prison with the help of Didymus and his friend. In the end, both Theodora and Didymus are at the hands of Valens who orders both of their deaths.

Sources:

https://operascotland.org/opera/638/Theodora

https://operavision.eu/performance/theodora

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioch