Few works illustrate the scale of the late 20th-century Handel renaissance as well as Theodora. The oratorio had only four performances in Handel's lifetime; it now has easily that number in a season since the resurgence of interest sparked by Peter Sellars' production at Glyndebourne a decade ago. Theodora may now be justly regarded as a masterpiece, but it is possible to understand why 18th-century audiences weren't taken by it. Compared to the exuberant triumphalism of Judas Maccabeus and the choral splendours of Messiah, it is a contemplative, considered work.

The contemplative element was to the fore, at times to excess, in this performance from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Kenneth Montgomery. Given the near-three-hour running time and the Edinburgh performance the previous night, the Glasgow concert seemed to be exhibiting signs of fatigue. Montgomery started off energetically enough, but these efforts soon foundered when the usually extremely reliable SCO chorus could not quite keep up with the coloratura of the first chorus. Things quickly settled into a more relaxed pace, which did more to emphasise the beauty of Handel's music than to support the dramatic action.

Theodora and her love Didymus may be the central figures, but without exceptional performances, the peripheral roles are usually more persuasive. Though Iestyn Davies as Didymus sounded beautiful throughout and Susan Gritton injected real drama into Theodora's final scenes, neither could match the charisma of Christine Rice's Christian leader Irene. Her performance captured something of the gleaming certainty of the fanatic, as, in a different way, did David Wilson-Johnson's raging, implacable Roman president Valens, while Joshua Ellicott's Septimus provided the voice of humanity and reason.