Hildegarde of Bingen, an extraordinary woman of remarkable modernity, lived in 12th-century Germany.

Abbess, visionary, and later canonized as a saint and Doctor of the Church, she left behind a vast body of theological writings, illuminated manuscripts, and music that continues to resonate today. Her holistic vision of creation and her struggle for justice reveal a determined, luminous figure whose message remains strikingly relevant in our times.

This performance brings Hildegarde to life at the pivotal moment when she rises from anonymity to recognition. Structured in five tableaux, it traces her journey as abbess and the challenges—both inner and outer—she must overcome.

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Claudine Gérez embodies Hildegarde with depth and intensity, combining text, theater, and dance. Alongside her, musician Vincent Lauth weaves atmospheric soundscapes with an array of instruments (cosmicbow, Tibetan bowls, anantar, udu, flute, and more), enhancing Hildegarde’s own chants and expanding them beyond the boundaries of time and space. The result is a dialogue between voice, movement, and music that immerses the audience in the inner world of this visionary woman.

 

Created to resonate with the architecture and spirit of the places where it is performed—churches, cultural heritage sites, or itinerant venues—this multidisciplinary work invites audiences into the vibrant legacy of Hildegarde. More than a portrait, it opens a reflection on today’s essential questions: the relationship between humanity and nature, personal freedom and community life, authority and power, the collaboration between women and men, and the role of art as a path to fulfillment and transformation.

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By Claudine Gérez (creator, performer, director, multidisciplinary artist)

Musician: Vincent Lauth

Show technician: Serge Bulteau

Produced by L'Incandescente Compagnie