Ecstasy of the Virtues, Mahogany Opera
An ambitious reworking of Hildegard of Bingen is beautiful to look at, but its complicated ideas often get in the way of the story
9/25/2026
★★★☆☆
Hildegard of Bingen wrote Ordo Virtutum around 1151, more than four centuries before the birth of opera as we know it. Often described as the earliest surviving musical morality play, it follows a Soul tempted by the Devil and guided towards salvation by the Virtues. Nwando Ebizie uses this extraordinary medieval work as the starting point for The Ecstasy of the Virtues, but takes it in a radically different direction.
Presented by Mahogany Opera at Stone Nest, the production replaces Hildegard's Christian struggle between good and evil with a journey towards self-acceptance. The Devil becomes Self-Loathing, while the Soul's transformation takes place through rituals including washing, perfume, offerings and shared bread. There are influences from African and Caribbean traditions, electronic music, chant, gospel and minimalism.
There is no shortage of imagination, but the storytelling is confusing. Without knowing the concept beforehand, it can be difficult to understand what individual rituals or characters represent. There are also times when movement, projections, music and symbolism are all competing for attention. The ideas are interesting, but the production tries to communicate too many of them at once.
Sara Amini brings warmth and vulnerability to the Soul, particularly as the character moves from anguish towards acceptance. The brilliant Chisato Minamimura, a deaf performance artist, is the most striking presence as Self-Loathing. Using sign language, facial expression and movement, she creates a character who is both unsettling and strangely compelling. Grace Nyandoro's clear soprano is another musical highlight, while Cevanne Horrocks-Hopayian adds an unusual colour through her voice and harp.
The electronic score creates an intense atmosphere, although the amplification can be heavy. In a space with Stone Nest's natural acoustic, there are moments when less volume might have allowed the voices to make a stronger impression.
Visually, however, the production is very attractive. Polly Simon's colourful costumes and Ben Moon's projections give it a strong identity, but Ryan Watson's superb lighting is the real design star. It transforms the former church through rich colour, darkness and shadow, sometimes achieving more atmosphere than the busy staging itself.
The best moment is also one of the simplest. The Soul is ritually washed in a bath and emerges transformed. For once, everything slows down and the image is allowed to speak for itself. It is genuinely moving.
The Ecstasy of the Virtues is original, visually imaginative and performed with commitment. But its complexity comes at the expense of clear storytelling. There is much to admire, especially the lighting and Minamimura's remarkable performance, but the production needs more clarity and less theatrical clutter to make its ideas truly land.
Image credit: Claire Shovelton
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