2025 | mezzo-soprano (or soprano) and piano.
Text by Mark Campbell (b. 1953).
This song was commissioned by mezzo-soprano Katie Hannigan as part of her Fort Ontario Project, which tells the stories of several Jewish refugee women housed at the Emergency Refugee Camp in Fort Ontario, NY during WW II. Katie commissioned 10 new songs. I am delighted to finally partner with celebrated librettist Mark Campbell, as he imagines the story of refugee Fortunee Levitch during Eleanor Roosevelt’s September 20, 1944 visit to the Camp. The other lyricists are Caitlin Vincent, Jessica Murphy Moo and GianLuca Faragalli.
The other composers are John Musto, Benton Hess, Jodi Goble, Maria Thompson Corley, Kurt Erickson, Felix Jarrar, Carla Lucero, Michael Rice, and duo Erin Futterer and Ross Falzone.
The premiere will be presented in collaboration with Finger Lakes Opera and is entitled. We Go On, Oswego: A Theatrical Song Cycle in dedication to women of Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter . The premiere is slated for 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. Cost is $10 for single tickets. There are discounts available for families and free tickets for students.