Pandora Consort returns to Vermont with The Fire Within Her: An American Folktale About Women’s Liberation, an original folk opera weaving together the voices of trailblazing women across centuries.

From Anne Hutchinson’s defiance in Puritan Boston to Susan B. Anthony’s fight for women’s suffrage and Betty Friedan’s challenge to the “feminine mystique,” their stories unfold through shape-note songs, Shaker hymns, protest anthems, and contemporary folk music.

Through resilience, courage, and song, The Fire Within Her explores the life cycle of social change and the ways one generation can carry forward the work of those who came before.

Pandora Consort was founded in 2021 by Vermont native Kendra Comstock and colleague Angie Tyler to bring early music to rural communities and create innovative performances highlighting historically marginalized composers and stories. The ensemble previously appeared with Vermont Public Classical in Fall 2025, performing music by Medieval mystic Hildegard von Bingen.

This production features Kendra Comstock, Angie Tyler, Gina Marie Falk, and guest artists Laura Thomas and Riley Mullany performing with voices, violin, guitar, and harmonium.