On Wednesday March 5th, the Basilique Performing Arts Company announced that Paradise Lost: The story of Adam and Eve’s original sin will open on Saturday April 5th – and within hours, the black-tie premiere performance was sold out!

Due to the demand for tickets, and with audience numbers limited to 40 per performance, a second premiere show will take place on Sunday April 6th, 2014, commencing at 12:00 noon.

While the initial press notes from earlier in the year for the production had indicated it would be free to attend, the Company has decided to charge L$1,000 for tickets. Of this, 50% of the ticket cost will go directly to supporting the World Wildlife Fund’s Adopt a Gorilla programme, and the welfare of the Company’s adopted baby mountain gorilla, Ihoho.

The remaining proceeds of ticket sales will go towards offsetting the cost of developing, mounting and running a production as elaborate as Paradise Lost in Second Life.

Tickets are available via the SL Marketplace, and each includes two unique and themed mesh avatars audience members are encouraged to wear when attending a performance. These avatars have been designed by Sian Pearl, and comprise an angel and a demon, in keeping with the overall theme of the production, which sees elements of each performance taking place among the audience.

I’ve had the good fortune to cover a little of the preparations that have gone in to this production – and I do mean a little. Paradise Lost represents a huge and complex undertaking by the Basilique company, one that is fascinating to read about and discover. As such, I thoroughly recommend anyone with an interest in theatrical production in SL, or in the subject matter itself, and who has not already done so, take a read of Canary Beck’s and Harvey Crabstick’s blogs.

For those interested in sponsoring the premiere season of Paradise Lost: The story of Adam and Eve’s original sin, there are still a number of slots available. Please contact either Becky or Harvey if you are interested.

Combining John Milton’s classic poem in blank verse with the Süssmayr completion of Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor, and using dance and ballet, Paradise Lost promises to be one of the most creative productions yet seen in a virtual environment such as Second Life.

This is not one to be missed – watch the trailers and see why.