Letters to America

What would America look like if it listened to Black Women? What would it feel like? What beauty would emerge from the pain, frustration, and radical imagination of Black Women if our voices were heard, valued, and uplifted?

About the Project

Letters to America, a new multi-movement work by Brittany J. Green for soprano and orchestra, grapples with these questions, placing the voices of present-day Black women in conversation with American historical documents through community-sourced letters and excavation poetry that reimagines historical American documents through the lens of Black women. Through these pairings, this piece reclaims the agency and humanity of Black women past and present, decentering the voice of empire and re-centering the resistance and resilience of the very women whose labor and sacrifice have built and maintained this country. GRAMMY-award winning soprano Karen Slack and the American Composers Orchestra presented the world premiere the Letters to America at Carnegie Hall on March 11, 2026. Durham Symphony Orchestra and Karen Slack presented the southeast premiere of the work at Carolina Theater on May 6, 2026. The Dream Unfinished will premiere the chamber version of the work in Summer 2026.

The significance of this work on the heels of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and its presentation in the Classical space — a place that has excluded and diminished the artistic contributions of Black women — cannot be understated. Through this project, Black women whose voices have been ignored, misunderstood, and shut down will have the opportunity to hear their voices, stories, and experiences center stage, inviting audiences to see America through the eyes of Black women.

Availability

Currently accepting co-commissioners for this consortium for the 2026/2027 season. To inquire about membership details, reach out to Dan Visconti at dan@viscontiarts.com.