Vision: the imagined testimony of Hildegard of Bingen & her haunting chant

The music of the extraordinary medieval Abbess, Hildegard of Bingen echoes down a thousand years. Hear her testimony in this "mesmerising" (The Guardian) concertplay (where music and theatre collide) by award-winning writer Clare Norburn and directed by BAFTA-nominated director, Nicholas Renton.


Amid the darkness of the Middle Ages, Abbess Hildegard of Bingen saw the universe in a dazzling light and spoke with an insight and a genius that makes her music and poetry resound down the centuries. Vision explores Hildegard’s extraordinary life as she relives her painful and visceral visionary experiences alongside her extraordinary music, haunting and distinctive chant, performed live by singers Clemmie Franks and Gwendolen Martin, and harpist Jean Kelly.

"A beautiful piece… it really is wonderful, so do try and catch it." - The Guardian

“It was the overlap of, interaction between, and communication of the music of Hildegard — two voices and medieval harp — and her spoken word . . . which made the show such a unified, deep telling . . . if a moment for reflection is needed, or the desire to understand more of Hildegard is to be fulfilled, it is well worth making the time for this.” - Church Times

The performance lasts one hour with no interval.

This performance is supported by The Foyle Foundation, Souter Charitable Trust and The Golsoncott Foundation.

Photo by Robert Piwko

You may also like the following events from The Telling Music:

• This September, 19th September, 07:30 pm, Vision: the imagined testimony of Hildegard of Bingen & her haunting chant in Lancaster
• This September, 20th September, 07:30 pm, Vision: the imagined testimony of Hildegard of Bingen & her haunting chant in Glasgow
• This September, 27th September, 07:30 pm, Vision: the imagined testimony of Hildegard of Bingen & her haunting chant in Chichester

Also check out other Arts events in Manchester, Literary Art events in Manchester, Music events in Manchester.