Her Story: Storytelling from the Female Perspective at the NSO

In the opening lines of the trailer to the 2021 documentary, “The Conductor,” Marin Alsop recalls: “I think I was 9 years old—I went to my violin teacher, and I said, you know, I saw this amazing conductor—and I’m gonna be the conductor. And she said, ‘girls can't do that’”. Later Alsop tells a conducting teacher, “Maestro, conducting is the only thing I want to do.” Fortunately, through grit, talent and determination, she found a mentor in Leonard Bernstein, and fulfilled her dream, and through her many endeavors, helped other women conductors to succeed as well. 

This week, Marin Alsop conducts the National Symphony Orchestra in two works that recount the story of women’s struggles and achievements throughout history. 

During the early years of the American Republic, women were often left at home for years at a time while their husband were off to war or establishing the Constitution. They single-handedly managed their family, home, farm, business, and community under extremely trying circumstances. Yet in 1776 Abigail Adams vainly reminded her husband John in rather forceful terms to “remember the ladies.” Or else, she wrote “we will foment a rebellion.” 

These are the opening words of Julia Wolfe’s Her Story, a semi-staged oratorio for the 10 voices of the Lorelei Ensemble, who co-commissioned the work along with a consortium of orchestras including the NSO in honor of the 100th anniversary in 2020 of the ratification of the 19^th amendment which gave women the right to vote. 

Through spoken word, vivid choreography and a large orchestra which reflects the panoply of American musical traditions, Her Story, according to the composer’s program note, “captures the passion and perseverance of women refusing subordination, demanding representation, and challenging the prejudice and power structures that have limited women’s voices.” 

Although Rimsky-Korsakov was only concerned with composing a colorful orchestral fairy tale in his 4-movement suite Scheherazade, and probably had no idea of promoting women’s rights, this masterwork vividly tells the story of the courageous woman who held a murderous husband in suspense over the course of 1001 nights, and thus saved her own life, as well as the lives of 1000 other women. As Rimsky-Korsakov explained in his prologue:  

The Sultan Schakhriar, convinced that all women are false and faithless, vowed to put to death each of his wives after the first nuptial night. But the Sultana Scheherazade saved her life by entertaining her lord with fascinating tales, told seriatim, for a thousand and one nights. The Sultan, consumed with curiosity, postponed from day to day the execution of his wife, and finally repudiated his bloody vow entirely.  

With his genius for orchestration, Rimsky-Korsakov introduces us to the cruel sultan in the bass, and has the solo violinist embody the role of Scheherazade, weaving her sensuous tales around him until he is finally appeased, and their two melodic lines are once again in harmony.  

Marin Alsop conducts the NSO in Julia Wolfe’s Her Story and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, the perfect introduction to Women’s History Month.  

Feb 27-Mar 1 
Kennedy Center Concert Hall 
Details at here.