The always "edgy" Edinburgh Fringe is living up to its non-traditional tradition this year: one of the main themes of the 59th season (Aug. 7-29) is "War and Terror," operas, musicals and plays dealing with Abu Ghraib, Pvt. Lynndie England, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Iraqi War, etc. "The Fringe never ignores the real world, but tackles it head-on, in many diverse and creative ways," says the festival announcement. Examples: * Daniel X. Opera's "Manifest Destiny," music by Keith Burstein, libretto by Dic Edwards - "A Palestinian poetess turned suicide bomber - her lover a Jewish composer - a female US President dubbed `the first American Emperor' - from London via the Oval Office, Palestine and Afghanistan to Guantanamo Bay, this passionate new opera is a searing indictment of the `War on Terror' and a journey through our world's heart of darkness towards a new destiny." * Demarco Rocket's "Korczak" - "An opera about the true story about children and their mentor, Janusz Korczak, living in the Warsaw Ghetto, beginning and finishing in the gas chambers of Treblinka." * Bad Penny Theatre's "Terrorist the Musical" - "How militants might make their living once the War on Terror is over." * Volcano's "My Pyramids" - "A musical `fantasia' by the Canadian company Volcano on the life of the Abu Ghraib guard Lynndie Englund." * Eclectic Company Theatre's "Yeehad! the Musical" - "Disguised as an Arab terrorist, Texas oil gazillionaire T-Bone Pickens plans to blow himself up in a Korean grocer's car park in downtown LA." As always, the Fringe will offer a good measure of comedy among the 1,799 shows (26,995 performances) in 2005; in the opera/musical section: * Early Music Maui's "Mozart for Breakfast" - "Satire about Mozart's magical youth and scandalous loves... Served with period instruments, costumes, free Kona coffee and pastries." * In Brief Productions' "Gilbert & Sullivan in Brief" - "Four singer/comedians performing every role in every G&S operetta in just 80 minutes." * SFX's "Bling! The Hip-Hopera" - "An auaciously dynamic urban musical from South London." Janos Gereben/SF www.sfcv.org [log in to unmask]