Deemed a true visionary prophet, Hildegard was one of the most important figures to surface during the history of the Middle Ages. She was considered a harbinger of God's message. This particular drama is only one work out of more than 300 letters, countless stories of saints' lives, nearly 80 vocal compositions and poetry that she laboriously breathed to life. As with "Ordo Virtutum," her other works are imbued with powerful messages that have the capacity to transcend the boundaries of age and touch the human soul.
In celebration of this popular and beloved saint, the musical ensemble Sequentia, well versed in the realm of medieval liturgical drama, performed the complete staged version Friday night to a full house at the St. Francis of Assisi Church. The church setting further enhanced the production's profound emotional experience.
In the beginning, the singing human soul, clothed in white garments to signify her blessedness, is in the process of ascension to the dwelling of the Virtues. As she joyfully invokes the Virtues, the devil intervenes and tempts her with the worldly desires of sin. His harshly staccatoed rhetoric contrasts sharply with the soothing hymns of the robed Virtues. Unable to shake herself of the struggle and toil, the soul succumbs to him. In one foolish and violent act, she tears the white shroud from her body to reveal a black one that was hiding beneath all along.
Once the Devil succeeds in distracting the soul from her path, her vibrant songs of praise vaporize. Yet, the Virtues never cease their song in order to beckon the lost soul to return into their arms once again. At the sight of the tormented soul, each Virtue steps forward and introduces herself.
The most effective of these 16 women is Humility, the queen of the Virtues. Played by Maria Jonas, she calls upon the others and reassures them of their ability to seek that which is lost. When the soul returns with a heart weighted with sin, it is the queen that rounds up her companions to lift her up. It is Humility whom she calls upon to aid her when the devil makes one last attempt to lead her back into his wickedness.
Intertwined throughout the drama are the harmonies of an instrumental trio, consisting of two fiddles and a flute. The use of the music is interesting, in that it never serves as a back up for the singing Virtues. Rather, it juxtaposes the sorrowful hymnal lamentations of the women with their strangely uplifting melody. The sounds continue to evoke a mystical air in response to the exaltations of the singers.
Although the entire production is performed in Latin, Sequentia succeeds in defying the language barrier and artfully transmits the message through mediums of song and body language. Stage Director Franz-Josef Heumannskamper successfully creates a drama in which the use of voice, body position and hands all work to convey the message of that particular individual. The Devil's level of expression is limited to words only. Unlike the rest of the cast who assert themselves through music, he does not have the privilege to assault the ears with a spiteful song.
The soul does not physically stand in assemblage among the Virtues until they have victoriously warded off the devil by calmly holding up their hands. The continuation of their exaltations renders the devil weak, for he is no match in the face of their strength. Once the soul has returned from the clutches of evil, the Virtues gently replace her white shroud and for the first time, she assumes her position among them.
The most amazing aspect of this performance was the enthusiasm of the audience. It is likely that the majority did not have much knowledge of the Latin language, and yet, they gasped when the soul rejected God and sighed with relief when she returned to his embrace.