Eleanor
A Medieval Opera
A lost story from medieval London comes to life in a new chamber opera by Niccolo Seligmann!
A medieval scandal gets an operatic glow-up in ELEANOR, a new work by Niccolo Seligmann about Eleanor Rykener — the gender-nonconforming Londoner whose 1394 arrest left the courts very confused.
This semi-staged performance at the experimental New Stage Performance Space on the Upper West Side dives into the story of Eleanor, who was arrested in London in 1394 while presenting as a woman. We only have one surviving document about Eleanor’s life, so we can’t know her full story – but this piece uses that fragment as a starting point to explore identity, gender, and belonging in the medieval world.
Niccolo Seligmann (they/them) brings a deeply personal lens to the work, and the role of Eleanor will be premiered by non-binary soprano Elisse Albian.
Funded in part by The Amphion Foundation, Inc.
TICKETS
Join us at the intimate New Stage Performance Space for a semi-staged production with custom projections.
Both concerts will include a post-concert reception.
Content warning: Eleanor tells the real-life story of a sex worker, and features frank language about sex as well as mimed sexual acts. This show might not be appropriate for younger audiences (we recommend that attendees be 18+), or those uncomfortable with more explicit themes.
FRIDAY APRIL 24, 2026
All tickets are general admission.
Supporter = $50, General = $30, Student/Artist/Economic Need = $15
Time/Date: Friday, April 24 @ 7:30 pm
Location: New Stage Performance Space
36 West 106th St, Manhattan, NY 10025
The concert will be followed by a reception.
Note: The garden-level theater is accessed by a short flight of stairs.
**Google maps may indicate the entrance is on 105th - this is inaccurate! The entrance to the theater is truly on 106th street by Kama Central Park.
SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2026
All tickets are general admission.
Supporter = $50, General = $30, Student/Artist/Economic Need = $15
Time/Date: Saturday, April 25 @ 7:30 pm
Location: New Stage Performance Space
36 West 106th St, Manhattan, NY 10025
The concert will be followed by a reception.
Note: The garden-level theater is accessed by a short flight of stairs.
**Google maps may indicate the entrance is on 105th - this is inaccurate! The entrance to the theater is truly on 106th street by Kama Central Park.
Alkemie maintains a no-one-turned-away policy. Please contact info@alkemie.org if you need to arrange for reduced ticket pricing.
“Queer and trans people have always been here, and Eleanor Rykener’s story proves this. Celebrating the few queer and trans ancestors who’ve made it into the historical record is an important way of connecting with our communal past and gives us hope for a queer and trans future.”
Featured Artists & Guests
ARTISTS
Elisse Albian (ELEANOR)
Tracy Cowart (JUSTICE, ELIZABETH, CHAPLAIN 1; medieval harps)
Ben Matus (voice, hümmelchen, recorders)
David McCormick (vielle)
Morgan Morse (PHILIP, WATCHMAN, BLOUNT)
Seamus Ricci (BROTHER JOHN, MAYOR)
Sian Ricketts (RECTITUDE, ANNA, CHAPLAIN 2; recorders, douçaines)
Niccolo Seligmann (composer; vielle, psaltery)
Ellie Sutherland (REASON, JOAN, CHAPLAIN 3, percussion)
Spiff Wiegand (CLIENT, BROTHER MICHAEL, JOHN BRITBY, AIDE; percussion)
Alyssa Weathersby (director, costume design)
Tracy Cowart (projection design)
Shua Jackson (lights, associate & technical director)