As much as we know about Hildegard of Bingen, a German Benedictine abbess who set up her own monastery on the banks of the Rhine and became famous for her religious thinking and visions, there are so many questions we may never answer. This, in part, is what makes her music at once fascinating and mysterious.

Described as ‘the sybil of the Rhine’, and known far beyond her native land, Hildegard managed to find her own creative and intellectual voice, setting up a monastery, writing theological tracts, communicating with popes, bishops and emperors, fighting against corruption in the Church, her thoughts often shaped by the visions which had been central to her life since childhood.

Contralto Kismara Pessatti and percussionist Sarah Hatch explore the original works by Hildegard and give continuity to her inspiration through new world premieres of works by Brazilian composer Silvia Berg.

Part of DONNE collection - dedicated to women composers.

Kismara Pessatti has performed under the baton of great conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Lorin Maazel, Nella Santi, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Marek Janowski, and Helmuth Rilling. With a formidable warm low range, she sung contralto parts such as Erda (Wagner’s Rheingold and Siegfried) in Essen, Mary (Flying Dutchman) in Luxembourg, Geneva, Bari, Coen and Zurich, Gluck’s Orfeo in Sao Paulo, Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigoletto in Saint-Etienne and Ms. Quickly (Falstaff) in Bogota. On the concert stage, El Amor Brujo by Falla at the Concertgebouw, Ruckert Lieder by Mahler in Montevideo and Parsifal at the Berliner Philharmonie are some of her highlights. Throughout her well-established career, Ms. Pessatti has collaborated with worldwide well-known orchestras such as Berliner Philharmoniker, Geneva Chamber Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, amongst others.

Based in London, as a freelance percussionist Sarah Hatch has played with a number of leading ensembles including the Philharmonia, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, London Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic & Concert Orchestras, RTE Concert & National Symphony Orchestras, London Mozart Players, The Ulster Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, The Hallé, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Opera North ond CHROMA. In addition to numerous live performances and BBC broadcasts she has also participated in several CD recordings released by Signum Classics and Hyperion. Sarah has a keen interest in historical performance and plays regularly with period ensembles.