Circle of Virtue

Darlinghurst Nov 13

Holding the Medieval trumpet he was later to use in the Symphonia Antony Pitts (Artistic Director of The Song Company and Musical Director and Music Editor of this performance) introduced Hildegard von Bingen’s visionary work, Circle of Virtue, heartily welcoming the LIVE audience in the first of two sold-out concerts in Sydney. Hildegard von Bingen (1098 – 1179) was a Benedictine Abbess and renowned visionary, theologian, physician, poet and one of the earliest composers known to us by name. Largely forgotten until recent times, her works have again aroused great interest since the late twentieth century. She composed seventy-seven songs, the Symphony of the Harmony of Celestial Revelations and Circle of Virtue, regarded as the earliest surviving ‘Morality Plays’.

Inspired by her intense and very detailed visions, Circle of Virtue is the story of a struggling Soul (Anima) succumbing to the Devil’s taunts and temptations. Anima repents and is forgiven and healed by the Virtues, who later banish the Devil.

Composed around 1151, it may have been first performed by Hildegard and her nuns for the consecration of the Rupertsberg convent. Antony Pitts commented that she probably wrote parts for individual nuns she knew personally, taking into consideration their distinctive voices and personalities. The women, representing the Virtues and Souls sang in Hildegard’s typical plainchant with beautiful harmonies and ethereal sounds.

The production in the Cell Block Theatre was extraordinary!

Leonie Cambage (Design and Original Concept) achieved this with a minimum of props and the use of hand-held, colour-enhancing lighting to focus on the singers and action, reflecting Hildegard’s luminary visions. Symbolism was adroitly employed with gold foil, which reflected brightly when illuminated and crackled when it moved. ‘Lecterns’ of gold foil were arranged in a circle – a three-dimensional mandala, surrounding silver objects and red flowers and jewels with simple, but spectacular effects such as the scattering of illuminated shreds of silver foil. This arrangement reflected Hildegard’s vision of the Holy Trinity as well as suggesting the beauty and brilliance of the palace of the Virtues, surrounding the place where the Virtues fought the Devil.

These visions are described in Hildegard’s enchanting plainchant, beautifully performed by members of The Song Company. The ethereal singing contrasted with the writhing snarls, grunts and shouting of the Devil as he tried to seduce (at first successfully) the Soul. When the dishevelled, penitent Soul, Anima, is healed by the Virtues, the Devil fails with his seductive taunts and is vanquished. With a golden rope around his neck, he is dragged off snarling, down the aisle through the audience.

The drama ends with a moving Epilogue, finishing with the words ‘So now, all you people, bend your knees to the Father, that He may reach you His hand’.

This was a thoroughly enthralling experience with superb singing throughout. It is a tribute to The Song Company that a composition nearly nine hundred years old could appear so fresh and modern. The enthusiastic applause at the end indicated that this opinion was shared by the rest of the audience.

PERFORMERS

Roberta Diamond – The Soul (Anima)
Jessica O’Donoghue – Humility, The Queen of the Virtues
Josie Ryan – Victory, Knowledge of God, Discretion, Patience
Janine Harris – Hope, Charity, Fear of God, Obedience, Faith, Modesty, Mercy
Pip Dracakis – Chastity, Innocence, Contempt of the World, Celestial Love, Discipleship/Grace of God
Iris Farrer, Annie Farrer, Ruby Bron – Chorus of Souls
Ethan Taylor, Hayden Barrington – Patriarchs & Prophets
Koen van Stade – The Devil
Antony Pitts – Symphonia

Sketches of the Devil, Virtues and Anima by Heidi Hereth

Cover photography Christopher Hayles

For more on The Song Company go to https://the.song.company/