St. Hildegard of Bingen was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. Yet, this Catholic Abbess from the medieval times still has many admirers today. That’s what intrigues me most about her and I continue to learn more.
My latest find is Her Mind’s Eye, a “mind-bending” immersive musical by an eclectic professional team of creatives. It’s to highlight St. Hildegard’s“…life and psychedelic inner visions.” Coming soon to a venue near you, and hopefully to San Francisco.
The high-powered production team is set to propel Hildegard into the 21st century. Her legacy is as relevant in 2024 as back in the medieval times. She contributed through spirituality, music, medicine, innovation and inspiration. Those continue to stream down to us even now. No one can tap out on St. Hildegard’s resources. Her female voice back then still chimes harmoniously with women of today. The more people that recognize her greatness the better. As such a multi-faceted spiritual creature, she is open to many interpretations.
Her Mind’s Eye promises to infuse a new musical audience with her by using modern day technology. The work is an animated full dome film experience. It’s a “visually stunning portrayal of her visionary insights, resonating through time.”
Algorithm is their creative production studio that’s based in Dublin, Ireland.
Janet Roston is the Director/Choreographer and Cindy Shapiro is the Composer/Librettist. Together they are the co-founders of Incorrigible Entertainment. Their goal is to “support their vision and their ongoing mission to inspire audiences with stories about women who cannot be contained.”
Here they speak about the project:
The Story Editor is the acclaimed author Neil Gaiman, UK born, and now living in the U.S. near Minneapolis. His bio states that as a child he read the books of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, James Branch Cabell, Edgar Allan Poe, Michael Moorcock, Ursula K. LeGuin, Gene Wolfe, and G.K. Chesterton.
Jack Wall, is the Music Director/Producer. He’s noted among the Hollywood elite of composers, ASCAP award-winning and BAFTA nominated.
Fiona Maddocks, author of Hildegard of Bingen: The Woman of Her Age, is the Project Advisor.
This powerhouse team of talents complements Hildegard’s great gifts.
Her Mind’s Eye is looking for investors who want to share in their vision for Hildegard.
The production will be available in numerous formats with Algorithm’s cutting-edge Orbit technology. Formats include “Full Dome, Atelier des Lumières-style rooms, art galleries, cathedrals, VR and any other space that could be rendered immersive.”
Living in San Francisco, I can’t help but hope it makes it to a venue here. I recently read how the SF Symphony is going through changes. That it’s in need of an uplift. That would be a great venue for this production. But that’s just my personal pitch. A tech haven like San Francisco seems a very likely place for this modern version of St. Hildegard of Bingen. Let’s bring St. Hildegard of Bingen here!
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