Ecsta­sy of the Virtues

An immersive mystery opera by Nwando Ebizie

Step into a richly sensuous ritual-opera inspired by the life, music and visions of Hildegard von Bingen.

Blending live and ambient sound, movement, light, water, scent and taste, the work creates a temporary secular sacred space in which audience and performers embark on a shared pilgrimage. Here, Hildegard's ecstatic visionary world is reimagined through a contemporary lens - one shaped by neurodivergence, Afrofuturism and ritual.

Drawing on Hildegard's compositions alongside influences as diverse as West African and Caribbean ceremonial music, medieval mystery plays, Downtown New York minimalism and electronic sound, the performance unfolds as a total artwork in which every element serves a single immersive experience.

Rather than recounting Hildegard's life, the work invites audiences to inhabit a liminal world where certainty dissolves, virtues become mirrors, shadow meets soul, and the pain of being human is transformed into its beauty.

This is opera as ritual: communal, immersive and deeply personal.

An invitation not simply to witness, but to emerge subtly transformed.

Rooted in creative accessibility, theatrical signing, creative captions and a 'relaxed' feel are all embedded into the piece rather than added on.

DATES

25, 26, 27 September 2026: Stone Nest, London

3 October 2026: Howard Assembly Room, Leeds (matinee and evening performances)

7 October 2026: Barrow Town Hall, Barrow-in-Furness

Tickets on sale from late July