A Taste of Injustice

On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out on the eighth floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist garment factory in New York. The workers—mostly Jewish and Italian immigrant women and girls, aged 14 to 23—were unable to escape the flames: the factory doors had been locked to prevent them from taking unscheduled breaks.

In Fire in my mouth, composer Julia Wolfe (°1958) gives a voice to each of the 146 victims of this tragedy. Drawing from traditional Yiddish and Italian melodies, as well as firsthand survivor testimonies, Fire In My Mouth reclaims this historic tragedy as an act of remembrance. Wolfe’s minimalist style blends raw emotion with a stark evocation of the factory and the fire, creating a haunting and unforgettable experience.