Melissa Dunphy

Commissioned by the Museum of the American Revolution for their 2020-2021 special exhibition When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story, 1776-1807.

When acclaimed contemporary composer Dr. Melissa Dunphy heard that Abigail Adams’s famed “Remember the Ladies” letter would return to Philadelphia as part of the Museum of the American Revolutions’s When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story, 1776-1807 special exhibition, she was inspired to interpret—through music—what Adams’s powerful words could mean for our current moment. “Remember the Ladies” sets excerpts from the letter for a cappella mixed chorus, premiered by the 40-voice community choir PhilHarmonia.

"Composing has always been in Dunphy’s blood as someone with a past in theater and music, but the history spin was sparked by some digging… literal digging in the dirt." [Philly Metro]

"The song is my love letter to the women and the people of color back then who, you know, dreamed of a future like this, but maybe thought it was impossible. And it's also a love letter in a way to the future, because, I still think we have room to improve. I think we can get better still." [NBC Philadelphia]

Remember the Ladies
Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 March, 1776

"I have sometimes been ready to think that the passion for liberty cannot be equally strong in the breasts of those who...deprive their fellow creatures of theirs. Of this I am certain, that it is not founded upon that...Christian principle of doing to others as we would that others should do unto us...

"I long to hear that you have declared an independency and by the way in the new Code of Laws...I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors...

"If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice..."

Artwork by Wood Rosanville Harlan, Inc. for the Museum of the American Revolution.

Visit the official Remember the Ladies website.

Performances

• 12 Mar, 2025: Emporia State University Chamber Singers at Beach Music Hall, Emporia State University, Emporia, KS
• 27 Oct, 2024: Singing City at Race Street Meeting House, Philadelphia, PA
• 26 Oct, 2024: Northern Arizona University Shrine of the Ages at Ardrey Auditorium, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
• 20 Oct, 2024: Northern Arizona University Shrine of the Ages at Ardrey Auditorium, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
• 22 May, 2024: Hartford High School Concert Choir at Hartford High School, White River Junction, VT
• 02 Mar, 2024: PhilHarmonia at ACDA Eastern, Providence, RI
• 11 Feb, 2024: First Parish Choir at First Parish in Wayland, Wayland, MA
• 18 Nov, 2023: Zoveel Hertz at Sint-Franciscus Xaveriuskerk, Antwerp, Belgium
• 28 May, 2023: Beaufort County Choral Society at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Bath, NC
• 21 May, 2023: Beaufort County Choral Society at Historic Turnage Theatre - Arts of the Pamlico, Washington, NC
• 19 May, 2023: Beaufort County Choral Society at St. Timothy Episcopal Church, Greenville, NC
• 04 Apr, 2023: Chloe Weiss and the Paradigm Singers at Frick Fine Arts Building, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
• 07 Oct, 2022: DePauw University at Kresge Auditorium at the Green Center for the Performing Arts, Greencastle, IN
• 03 Apr, 2022: Convivium Chamber Choirs at Christ Episcopal Church, Los Altos, CA
• 02 Apr, 2022: Convivium Chamber Choirs at Trinity+St. Peter's Episcopal Church, San Francisco, CA
• 25 Mar, 2021: PhilHarmonia at The Museum of the American Revolution (virtual)