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Connections
Connections

Chevalier and 'The Anonymous Lover'

By Mona Seghatoleslami,
Veronica Volk, Julie Williams
Published July 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM EDT
Five people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a man front left has short dark hair and is wearing glasses, a denim sleeveless jumpsuit and and white loafers; a woman front right has short grey hair and is wearing glasses, a blue sleeveless dress with green and white trim at the waist and hem and white sneakers; a woman back left has long brown hair and is wearing glasses and a blue button-down shirt; a man back right is wearing a grey baseball cap, glasses and a blue plaid button-down shirt; a woman at center has long dark hair and is wearing glasses and a red and black floral print sleeveless dress.
Julie Williams
/
WXXI News
(foreground) Jonathan Pierce Rhodes and Elizabeth Long, (background) Stephanie Havey and Norwood “PJ” Pennewell with guest host Mona Seghatoleslami on "Connections" on Thursday, July 17, 2025
A woman with long dark hair is wearing a black and red floral patterned sleeveless dress and glasses while sitting in front of a microphone at a table in a radio talk studio.
Julie Williams
/
WXXI News
Mona Seghatoleslami guest hosting "Connections" on Friday, July 18, 2025

This summer, Finger Lakes Opera and Garth Fagan Dance are bringing a rarely heard 18th century opera to the stage in Rochester.

"The Anonymous Lover" was composed by Joseph Bologne, a Black composer, violinist, and fencer known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges.

Guest Host Mona Seghatolaslami and her guests explore the opera’s surprising history, how this production blends Afro-Caribbean and French court styles, and what it says about FLO’s evolution.

Our guests for the hour:

Connections
Mona Seghatoleslami
Mona Seghatoleslami is the host and producer on WXXI Classical 91.5 FM weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m. She also hosts the lunchtime concert series Live From Hochstein at 12:10 p.m. Wednesdays, interviews musicians, produces special programs, and works on any project she can find that helps connect people and music in our community through WXXI.
See stories by Mona Seghatoleslami
Veronica Volk
Veronica Volk is a senior producer and editor for WXXI News.
See stories by Veronica Volk
Julie Williams
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.
See stories by Julie Williams