The Telling
Vision
The imagined testimony of Hildegard of Bingen alongside her haunting chant

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
Sun, 21 September 2025
Hallé St Peter's, Manchester
7:30pm
£20 / £16 concs / £5 students
- ➕5 other performances
Full Event Details
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
Venue Details & Map
Location
Hallé St Peter's, Manchester
40 Blossom St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6BF
Other performances
In addition to the performance listed above, this concert will also be performed as follows:
Vision
Fri, 19 September 2025
Lancaster Priory
7:30pm
£20 / £16 concs / £5 students
Vision
Sat, 20 September 2025
St Andrew's West Parish Church, Glasgow
7:30pm
£20 / £16 concs / £5 students
Vision
Tue, 23 September 2025
St Martin-in-the-Fields, London
7:00pm
£30 seated / £25 standing
Vision
Sat, 27 September 2025
St John's Chapel, Chichester
7:30pm
£20 / £16 concs / £5 students
Vision
Tue, 30 September 2025
St Mary's Church, Dorchester, Dorset
7:30pm
£22