The true story of the Carmelite community of Compiegne sets the close-knit enclosed monastery against the turmoil of the French Revolution. This simple and direct expression of the struggle against evil is dominated by female voices singing a range of responses top the horror of the world from serenity to terror. The finale, as the voices of the nuns drown out the mob chorus in the shadow of the guillotine, is one of the great coups-de-theatre. Highly-respected Sydney director Kate Gaul joins conductor David Wickham in bringing this luminously beautiful score to the stage.

Performed by WAAPA Classical Vocal.