Tim Ashley [Guardian, 21 October 2006]

Handel considered Theodora his finest oratorio. It fazed his contemporaries, however, and it was not until the late 20th century that audiences acknowledged its greatness. This was doubtless due, in part, to an exhaustive reappraisal of the diversity of Handel's output - though, as many have remarked, Theodora also maps disturbingly on to the major issues of our times.