With so many possibilities, I decided to use the themes of Fierce Grace: Jeannette Rankin as the themes of my “Song of the Day.” Women’s rights. Civil rights. Women’s suffrage. Pacifism. And a whole lot of Fierce Grace.
Given that the third song of the
cycle is titled “10,000 Go-Go Boots” (text by Kimberly Reed, music by Laura
Kaminsky), how could I NOT include this iconic song recorded by Nancy Sinatra?
In 1966, Nancy made her boots for walkin’, and in 1968, Jeannette stepped,
stepped, stepped to the Capitol to protest the war in Vietnam, surrounded by
the boots of another generation.
Mila Henry is a music director, pianist, and the future Artistic Director of American Opera Projects (beginning in July 2019). “A stalwart contributor to the contemporary opera scene” (Opera Ithaca), Mila has lead rock musicals, hybrid performance pieces and folk operas; performed at The Stone, The Apollo and the Library of Congress; and traveled to Opera Philadelphia, LA Opera and Dutch National Opera. She can be heard on Voices of Women (Affetto Records) and Love & Trouble (Roven Records), and is a core member of the band Opera Cowgirls. Hear Mila perform in NYFOS Next: Laura Kaminsky & Friends on June 11 at 7:30 at The Center. Tickets available from Five Boroughs Music Festival.