In 1911 the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City caught fire. 146 clothing workers died in the blaze – most of them immigrant women and children who perished in dangerous, inhuman working conditions. Their story is told in Fire in my mouth, a large-scale oratorio for orchestra and female voices by composer and Bang On a Can member Julia Wolfe.
Described as ‘a monumental achievement in high musical drama’, Fire in my mouth follows the young workers as they emigrate to the United States, find jobs in the factory, protest against unfair labour conditions and are finally consumed in a tragic inferno. The score recreates factory sounds such as sewing machines and scissors, and vividly evokes the fire itself andthe workers’ suffering and hope.
Performed by the Belgian National Orchestra, Fire in my mouth’s themes of immigration, injustice, precarity and industrial neglect resonate strongly today.
Gemma New Conductor
Vlaams Radiokoor Choir
Children’s and Youth Choirs of La Monnaie