| Friday 25 September 2026 | 19:30 |
| Saturday 26 September 2026 | 19:30 |
| Sunday 27 September 2026 | 19:30 |
| Ebizie, Nwando | Ecstasy of the Virtues |
| Mahogany Opera | ||
| Nwando Ebizie | Director | |
| Tzung-Hui Lauren Lee | Set Designer | |
| Polly Simon | Costume Designer | |
| Ryan Watson | Lighting Designer | |
| Chisato Minamimura | Dancer | Self-Loathing |
| Grace Nyandoro | Mezzo-soprano | Wonder of the Universe, Transcendence, Self Protection |
| Sara Amini | Actor | The Soul/Hildegard |
| Laura Bowler | Mezzo-soprano | Love, Potential, Belief in Humanity, Mercy |
| Cevanne Horrocks-Hopayian | Vocals | Endurance, Groundedness, Clarity, Humility |
| Yfat Soul Zisso | Soprano | Dedication to the Truth, Hope |
| Chisara Agor | Chorus | |
| Jadyn Arriola Bagayas | Dancer | Chorus |
| Yu Chinen | Mezzo-soprano | Chorus |
| Michelle Cornelius | Soprano | Chorus |
| Fliss Jackson | Chorus | |
| Maria da Luz Ghoumrassi | Dancer | Chorus |
| Grace Nyandoro | Mezzo-soprano | Self-Loathing |
A new mystery opera by Nwando Ebizie
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 new 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, followed by performances at Howard Assembly Room, Leeds and Barrow Town Hall. The production will respond to the distinctive architecture of each venue 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.
