Ecstasy of the Virtues

Doors 7pm, performance 7.30pm 

Step into a richly sensuous world inspired by the life, music and visions of 12th-century nun, mystic and polymath Hildegard von Bingen.

Blending singing, live instruments, electronic sounds, dance, light, water, scent and taste, this very modern opera creates a secular devotional space, in which audience and performers embark on a shared pilgrimage of self-love and transformation.

Award-winning composer, director and librettist Nwando Ebizie reimagines Hildegard’s 1151 mystery play Ordo Virtutum through her lens as a neurodivergent Afrofabulist, drawing on influences as diverse as West African and Caribbean ceremonial music, medieval mystery plays, Downtown New York minimalism and Toni Morrison’s Beloved to create a total artwork where every element serves a transportive, multisensory experience.

Ecstasy of the Virtues radically updates Hildegard's allegorical Virtues – following the Soul’s journey to heaven – for the 21st century. The Devil, rather than a flattened Christian caricature of “evil”, becomes the trickster spirit Self-Loathing, exploring how the things which are pushed into the shadows can end up dominating us, and what is possible when feared and reviled parts of ourselves are brought into the light.

Nwando directs an exceptional creative team and cast of 12 performers, from opera, contemporary dance, theatrical BSL, experimental music, jazz and gospel, to lead the audience on a journey from intimacy to ecstasy, in a ritual of transformative feminine power.

Ecstasy of the Virtues premieres at Stone Nest, an iconic former Welsh chapel in the heart of London’s West End. The production will respond to the distinctive architecture to stage a mesmerising and inclusive experience for audiences. As a disabled-led production, creative accessibility, theatrical signing, creative captions and a relaxed feel have been embedded into the piece since its gestation.

ACCESS OFFER:
Ecstasy of the Virtues weaves access throughout. 

The performance is relaxed, meaning you can move, make noise and come and go as you need to. We will share more detailed information about this, including the sensory environment, at the beginning of September.

The performance is creatively captioned and Chisato Mininamura will be performing in BSL. There are platforms that vibrate in response to sound, for you to sit on.

We offer the following access tickets:

• Complimentary essential companion ticket
• BSL seat (priority sight lines for BSL movement artist on stage + vibrating bench seating)
• End of aisle seat
• Relaxed seat (floor seating at the front with cushions)
• Wheelchair booking*

If you would like to book any of these access tickets, please email info@stonenest.org with your requirements and we will arrange this for you.

*Wheelchair access

All performances have step-free access and can accommodate manually operated wheelchairs via a temporary ramp. The performance on Sunday 27 September is also accessible for electric wheelchair users. Please let us know that you are a wheelchair user when booking and whether a companion will be joining you by emailing info@stonenest.org.

Run time:  2 hours including a 20 minute interval

CREATIVE TEAM:
Nwando Ebizie: composer / director / librettist
Jennifer Muteteli: associate director
Giulia Cristescu: assistant director
Tom Richards: technical director
Tzung-Hui Lauren Lee: set & video/projection designer (Jerwood opera designer)
Polly Simon: costume designer (Jerwood opera designer)
Krystal Lowe: choreographer
Jessie Maryon-Davies: rehearsal director
Louis Gulliver King: production manager
Stephanie Singer: artistic advisor
Kelsie Acton: access consultant
Emily Moore: producer
Bridget Rennie: executive producer

CAST:
Named characters
Chisato Minamimura & Grace Nyandoro: Self Loathing
Sara Amini: The Soul/Hildegard

The Virtues
Laura Bowler: Love, Potential, Belief in Humanity, Mercy
Cevanne Horrocks-Hopayian: Endurance, Groundedness, Clarity, Humility
Grace Nyandoro: Wonder of the Universe, Transcendence, Self Protection, Victory
Yfat Soul Zisso: Dedication to the Truth, Hope

The Oracle
Chisara Agor
Jadyn Arriola Bagayas
Yu Chinen
Michelle Cornelius
Fliss Jackson
Maria da Luz Ghoumrassi

Photo by Claire Shovelton

Commissioned and produced by Mahogany Opera
In partnership with: Stone Nest, Opera North and Full of Noises
Supported by: Arts Council England, Jerwood Foundation, Hinrichsen Foundation and Cockayne Grants for the Arts, a Donor Advised Fund, held at The Prism Charitable Trust

Stone Nest is an arts organisation and performance venue in the heart of London's West End, bringing exceptional and experimental art to a wide audience. A hidden gem nestled amidst the bright lights of theatreland, it offers a platform for bold, visionary artists and a space where audiences can encounter an eclectic programme of contemporary performance.