The BSO begins the exploration of Boston in 1900 with two pieces that were composed at the same time Symphony Hall was being built.

Mahler Symphony No. 4 | Boston, Symphony Hall, & the BSO in 1900

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Julia Wolfe’s Her Story invokes the words of historical figures and the spirit of pivotal moments in history to pay tribute to the centuries of ongoing struggle for equal rights and representation for women in America. From the letters of Abigail Adams to words attributed to Sojourner Truth, Her Story, as explained by Julia Wolfe, “captures the passion and perseverance of women refusing subordination, demanding representation and challenging the prejudice and power structures that have limited women’s voices.” The dynamic vocal artists of the Lorelei Ensemble join the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for this immersive and visual presentation, with staging by Anne Kauman, before the May Festival Chorus closes the program with Gabriel Fauré’s tender and comforting Requiem.

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Her Story

Cincinnati Music Hall

Folk/rock/classical mixologist Julia Wolfe’s profound new work Her Story is paired with Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade in a program that examines the ongoing struggle and perseverance of women.

HER STORY

Davies Symphony Hall

In this third concert in a series exploring complex social issues, frequent guest Giancarlo Guerrero leads American composer Julia Wolfe’s BSO co-commissioned Her Story, featuring the Lorelei Ensemble women’s vocal group. Originally commissioned to commemorate the centenary of women’s right to vote in the U.S., the piece broadly speaks of the continuing struggle for women’s rights. The three movements of Polish composer Henryk Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs movingly contemplates the anguish of the separation of a mother from her child.

Giancarlo Guerrero conducts Górecki and Wolfe with Aleksandra Kurzak, soprano and Lorelei Ensemble

Boston Symphony Hall

Heralded for its “full-bodied and radiant sound” (New York Times) and “stunning precision of harmony, intonation, and spectacular virtuosity” (Gramophone), the Lorelei Ensemble is globally recognized for bold, inventive programs that champion the extraordinary flexibility and virtuosity of the human voice. Led by founder and artistic director Beth Willer, Lorelei presents Frost and Fire, an artistically audacious program that travels through stillness, waiting, and advent to arrive at the renewal and rebirth of the winter solstice.

Lorelei Ensemble

Dec 12, 2025