HILDEGARD: A MEASURE OF JOY

An original music theater piece created by CHANTICLEER

WORLD PREMIERE PERFORMANCES JUNE 3-12, 2005 IN THE BAY AREA

"We are plunged into an austere reaffirmation of faith through the ages. As actors, the 12 singers give fervent performances, accompanied only by hand bells. As directed by Joseph Jennings, Chanticleer sustains its reputation as a formidable musical organization."

Financial Times of London

"Francesca Zambello's fluid and spatially sensitive direction subtly enlarged and dramatically amplified the evening's majestic and probing polyphony."

San Francisco Chronicle

Chanticleer in Hildegard: A Measure of Joy    photo: Larry Merkle

THE WORK
For the first time, Chanticleer performs an original theater piece, Hildegard: A Measure of Joy. Based on the life of l2th century abbess Hildegard Von Bingen- whose mystical visions, adept church politics, musical composition and wide-ranging writing fascinate to the present day - the work will examine the question of what is good and what is saintly. Click here for more on Hildegard von Bingen.

THE PLOT
Twelve Cardinals meet in Rome to decide whether Hildegard of Bingen should be canonized a saint. Moving from skeptics to believers, they take us through her life, her miracles, and finally, her defiance of Rome. The story is theirs: it is a journey of how they come to define and discover what is holy; what is blessed. The structure allows for a variety of music, sometimes medieval, sometimes contemporary, i.e., joyfully anachronistic. As Hildegard's sanctity is questioned in arenas both sacred and practical so, too, the music reflects worlds of exalted spirituality and profound simplicity.

THE MUSIC
The music will include works by Von Bingen and contemporaries, settings of her texts by other later composers and two newly commissioned pieces. The work will be full-length, 75-85 minutes long, costumed, and lit. It will be performed a cappella by the 12 men of Chanticleer without conductor.

COLLABORATORS
The project was suggested to Chanticleer by stage director Francesca Zambello who proposed a scenario to be written by playwright Donna diNovelli, spoken and sung by the 12 men of Chanticleer. Veteran theater and opera designer Anita Yavich will create costumes. Chanticleer's Music Director Joseph Jennings, who will select the music and collaborate on the texts, has chosen Steven Stucky and Ręgis Campo to compose music to the texts by diNovelli. View press release.