I have a confession to make: This week will be my first Rochester Fringe Festival. The festival began in 2012, the year after I left Rochester to pursue a doctorate degree. And although I’ve been back for four years, they’ve been intense years of raising small children. I did, however, steel away to see Tig Notaro in Kodak Hall in 2023. She was, as always, phenomenal. But I admit I have not had the full Fringe experience yet, which is why I had a long interview with Festival Founder and Producer Erica Fee in preparation for this year’s coverage. There was a lot to learn. So, my preview piece may feel explanatory, perhaps moreso than needed for many familiar with the fest. But I figure 15 years is a good opportunity to take a bird’s eye view. I think my newbie status will also bring a sense of wonder to reviews over the festival’s 12 days. You can follow along with coverage at https://rochesteroverture.com/fringe/.
Read the preview, with show recommendations:
ESL Rochester Fringe Festival at 15: Embracing Experimentation and Spectacle
Late in August, I also had the chance to catch a workshop concert of a new opera by Geneseo composer Glenn McClure about Civil War nurse and founder of the American Red Cross Clara Barton. She spent a decade in Western New York to recover from what we might label now as post-traumatic stress disorder. The opera digs into her recovery. The Genesee Valley Council on the Arts applied for a special NEA grant to develop it, and received $25,000 earlier this year, in addition to extra support from the Rochester Area Community Foundation.
You can read about it here:
NEA-backed Folk Opera Explores Clara Barton’s Overlooked Decade in Western New York
Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow Rochester Overture on social media, where I’ll be posting during Fringe.
Top photo: Flip Fabrique by Stephane Bourgeois