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One of George Eastman's greatest legacies, the Rochester Philharmonic is an outstanding orchestra, especially for a city the size of Rochester. The RPO's main performance space is the Eastman Theatre (see above), but they get around town to other venues, especially in the summer. Pops conductor Jeff Tyzik, once Doc Severinsen's arranger for the Tonight Show Band, has taught the RPO to swing like few other professional orchestras can, but their classical chops are equally noteworthy.
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RoCo
This non-profit arts center supports local artists, in part by exhibiting their work to the public. But it's not just local artists you'll find in the gallery; they regularly host works from around the world. It's also a gathering place for the local arts community, so dropping by isn't just about viewing the art; it's also about connecting with the artists.
The Eastman Theatre dates back to George Eastman's time and contains three halls within its space.
A longstanding music club, it's an intimate venue but some great bands come through. The drinks aren't anything to write home about, but folks don't come here for the drinks.
The Tony-award winning choreographer Garth Fagan has his own dance troupe in Rochester, his adopted hometown. When they're not touring the country, they put on a variety of performances both around the city and at their studio space. Truly world-class dancers provide a show you can't match in any other city this size.
The former Xerox Auditorium is adjacent to what used to be Xerox's world headquarters. Xerox Tower is now Innovation Square, and the auditorium—once used for board meetings and the like—is now a beautiful and intimate performance venue with very good acoustics. It seats 700 but feels like 300.
Run by local public broadcaster WXXI, the historic Little shows a wide variety of foreign, independent and classic films in five theatres. There is also a cafe bakery (serves a full dinner menu along with wine and beer), sometimes with live music.