Member News

Rochester, NY – Finger Lakes Opera (FLO) will open its 2025 Summer Festival on Thursday, June 19th at 7 PM, with the second-annual Juneteenth program, a free event presented in collaboration with Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.

“FLO is honored to continue its partnership with Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, which is celebrating its 115th anniversary,” FLO Executive Director Elizabeth Long explains and continues, “This year’s Juneteenth program has a Past, Present, Future theme and will feature a tribute to the late, great Jessye Norman, five amazing soloists, a gospel choir, flag dancers, and more.”

According to publicist and community engagement coordinator Jamila Evans Rogers, “Juneteenth is a celebration of liberation, freedom, and resilience. It presents a time for us to reflect collectively on how far we’ve come. While there are still challenges, it’s important to celebrate what we’ve overcome as a people. As Rochester’s oldest, historically African American Baptist Church, Mt. Olivet is uniquely positioned as part of that history and it’s a privilege to invite the community to join us for fellowship and cultural enrichment.”

Emceed by News 10-WHEC Evening News Anchor Deanna Dewberry, the concert will feature Mt. Olivet’s Gospel Choir, the Wings of Praise Flag Ministry and include performances by:

• Joshua Conyers - Grammy-nominated baritone and voice professor at Eastman School of Music who has appeared with opera companies and symphonies all over the world.
• Jazmine Saunders – Soprano, Rochester native, Eastman School of Music graduate, and William Warfield Scholarship recipient who recently made her debut at Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
• Jonathan Pierce Rhodes - Tenor, Eastman School of Music graduate, and William Warfield Scholarship recipient, who has performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Parallele Opera.
• Dr. Crystal Sellers Battle – Soprano and Associate Dean of Equity and Inclusion at the Eastman School of Music.
• Holden Turner - Rochester-based baritone, recent Eastman School of Music graduate, and current William Warfield Scholarship recipient who recently performed with the Buffalo Opera Unlimited.

Event Details
Thursday June 19th @ 7 PM
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church
141 Adams Street
Rochester, NY 14608

For more information or to register for free tickets visit: www.fingerlakesopera.org

ABOUT FINGER LAKES OPERA (FLO)
FLO is committed to the professional creation and production of opera in Rochester and the Finger Lakes region with a roster of mainstage and emerging young artists drawn from diverse regions and backgrounds. Through engagement and accessibility, FLO adds value to the cultural and economic landscape of the community.

ABOUT MT. OLIVET BAPTIST CHURCH
Currently celebrating its 115th year of serving the Rochester community, the mission of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church is to serve its members, the community, and world at large. Led by the dynamic Reverend Dr. Rickey B. Harvey, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church was 0rganized in 1910 and has played a prominent and positive role in impacting the quality of African American life in Rochester