Dr. Katie Hannigan, in collaboration with Finger Lakes Opera, is presenting a theatrical song cycle entitled “We Go On, Oswego”.
Katie conceived of this project to tell the story of several Jewish refugee women housed at the Emergency Refugee Camp in Fort Ontario, NY during WWII. This camp was the only refugee camp in the U.S. devoted to helping Jewish refugees escape the Nazis.
She commissioned texts from renowned lyricists Mark Campbell, Caitlin Vincent, Jessica Murphy Moo and GianLuca Faragalli and then commissioned 10 new songs — from myself and composers John Musto, Benton Hess, Jodi Goble, Maria Thompson Corley, Kurt Erickson, Felix Jarrar, Carla Lucero, Michael Rice, and duo composer team Erin Futterer and Ross Falzone.
I was delighted to partner with Mark Campbell for our song Mrs. First Lady. The cycle will premiere on December 4, 2025 at 7:30 pm in Beston Hall, Nazareth College, Rochester, NY. The pre-concert talk with Mona Seghatoleslami from WXXI is at 7 pm. Admission is free (but there are some suggested donation amounts).