On this episode of The Music Room, Mandorichard chats with Anaïs Mitchell, folk singer and songwriter, to learn more about Mitchell’s ability to tell stories through her music. They talked about two of Mitchell’s projects that were both inspired by ancient sources: old English and Scottish folklore in the case of Child Ballads, a collaboration with Jefferson Hamer, and Greek mythology, in the case of Mitchell’s Hadestown project.

In the conversation, Mitchell discusses “Willie’s Lady,” one of the selections from her Child Ballads project–a song that tells about a mother’s disapproval of her son’s marriage. In the ballad, the mother curses her pregnant daughter-in-law so that she just stays pregnant and can’t give birth. But all turns out well as the young couple come up with a plan that reverses the curse.

Mitchell also tells us about Hadestown, her folk opera that offers a new American setting of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. She’s been working on Hadestown for 10 years. The show will make its debut in New York this spring.

Check out the interview linked below to hear Mitchell sing two of her songs and talk about her work and her upcoming appearance in Wilmington, DE (Grand Opera House, March 2, 2016).

Listen to the Interview

Anaïs Mitchell, Recorded Dec. 8, 2015, Aired Feb. 16, 2016. Host: Mandorichard
29:10
27.1MB

The Music

Artist	Song	Source	Year
Anaïs Mitchell	Willie’s Lady	Child Ballads	2013
Anaïs Mitchell	Flowers	Hadestown	2010

Additional Information

Anaïs Mitchell is a Vermont native who is widely known for her storytelling ability. She has released multiple albums including Child Ballads, Hadestown and her most recent release, xoa. According to her website, “Winner of the Kerrville Festival’s ‘New Folk Award’ and nominee for the Folk Alliance’s ‘Best Contemporary Artist Award,’ Mitchell is widely recognized as a unique and impressive young voice in the resurging American folk movement.” Check out Mitchell’s website to read about her tour dates, recordings, and other news.

• NPR Tiny Desk concert
• Hadestown: A Folk Opera