In 18th century Britain, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu defied medical convention by advocating inoculation, a practice she had witnessed while accompanying her husband on ambassadorial trips to what is now Turkey. Despite facing resistance from the Royal Society on her return to the UK, she championed the value of preventative medicine and of sharing knowledge of medical practices between different cultures; laying the groundwork for Edward Jenner, who would refine inoculation only decades later to produce the first vaccine. A vast archive of her letters reveal an extraordinary story of resistance, knowledge exchange, and collective action in the face of adversity – one that is often overlooked in histories of vaccination.
Through Lady Mary’s story, Dangerous Matter explores memory in its many forms: historical, personal, and biological. Who do we remember for shaping the world and transforming global health? How does memory define identity and legacy? And how does the body itself remember, protecting us against future infections?
This opera is the result of a collaborative process between scientists and musicians, working together to bring the production to life. It is part of the Thanks for the Memories project, supported by the Wellcome Trust: a collaboration between Paul Klenerman, Professor of Immunology at Oxford University, and composer Zakiya Leeming, Artist and Producer in Residence at RNCM PRiSM. The project explores the history and science of immune memory and Klenerman’s current research into unconventional T cells and their role in promoting immune memory through musical composition, schools engagement, and public events. Dangerous Matter - composed by Leeming, and inspired by Klenerman's research - blends science, music, and history to offer a powerful reflection on the role of memory in medicine and human progress.
Tickets are available here: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/dangerous-matter-a-new-opera-on-medicine-memory-and-innovation/ - and the RNCM is offering a 2for1 offer for NHS staff members.