6 Things to Know About Virgil Thomson's The Mother of Us All
- The opera chronicles the life of Susan B. Anthony, the 19th-century American feminist and suffragist who fought for women’s right to vote.
- It was composed by Virgil Thomson with a libretto by Gertrude Stein.
- The work blends historical figures with fictional characters to explore themes of democracy and gender equality.
- The music is distinctly American, drawing on folk hymns, marches, and popular songs of the 19th century.
- The opera premiered in 1947 at Columbia University in New York City.
- It remains one of the few major operas centered on a real-life political activist.