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ENSEMBLE INFO

Ensemble Contact:

Email:

andrew@dunedin-consort.org.uk

1996

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

In the Belly of the Beast (IBOB) is a brand-new music theatre production, premiering in the UK in 2026, brought to life through a collaboration between Mahogany Opera, Dunedin Consort & Hera, an intergenerational, intersectional feminist opera company. The production follows the partnership’s previous success with Out of Her Mouth (2023), which marked the first staging of Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s cantatas. IBOB presents an hour-long performance drawn from 3 of de la Guerre’s Cantates Bibliques—Adam, Jonah, and Jephthath—featuring English translations by Toria Banks (Hera's co-founder). These translations make the works immediate and resonant for contemporary audiences. Audiences experience the tension, drama, and subtlety of the music in a way that feels both fresh whilst historically informed.

By reimagining classical music within a contemporary artistic space, the production seeks to make historical works accessible while revealing musical narratives that have been hidden for centuries. The project is viewed through a feminist lens, emphasising the female gaze, celebrating women’s creative leadership, and empowering women both on & off stage.

During the early 18th century, France experienced a cantata craze: miniature poetic dramas, primarily for solo voice. Despite their popularity, most cantatas of the period revolved around pastoral themes and light mythological stories. De la Guerre, took a bolder approach, choosing Biblical narratives that offered richer, more compelling storytelling. Composed in her forties at the height of her artistic output, her cantatas are notable for their confident, fluid expression and sophisticated musicality. They challenge conventions of the time, and elevate the cantata from a decorative art form to one capable of emotional depth and narrative weight.

Consistent with the co-producers’ accessibility commitment, the production integrates creative captioning and audio description from the outset. World-renowned soprano Carolyn Sampson will perform, with the other soprano cast through an open call, alongside the designer & director; giving opportunities for new and emerging talent. The creative process is fully collaborative: a four-day development workshop allows performers, directors & designers to experiment, rehearse, and stage the work, ensuring the output has shared artistic vision and not a top-down interpretation.

Following the workshop, IBOB will tour in 7 concerts - Assembly Roxy (Edinburgh), Stevenson Hall (Glasgow), 2 concerts at Spitalfields Music Festival, Snape Maltings (Aldeburgh), Joan Knight Studio (Perth) & Rosehill Theatre (Whitehaven). Combining historical scholarship, contemporary artistic practice, and inclusive creative processes, this production offers a unique and transformative experience, bringing de la Guerre’s extraordinary music to life for 21st-century audiences.

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