The Princeton Festival

We're so excited for this weekend's season-opening concerts!! Come and join in on the fun!!
https://www.princetonsymphony.org/performances/tchaikovskys-violin-concerto/2024-09-14-0

Peacocke’s ‘Manta’ Makes Its U.S. Debut in PSO Opener Hopewell-based composer Gemma Peacocke's orchestra piece “Manta” will be debuted at the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s season-opening concert.

Princeton Symphony Orchestra season is full of meaningful connections for Rossen Milanov Concerts will begin this month and run through May.

Thank you Town Topics Newspaper! In addition to Aubree Oliverson, we'll be joined by Princeton University Ph.D. Fellow in Composition Gemma Peacocke for 'Manta', composed for a professional orchestra alongside a youth orchestra. For our concert series, we will be welcoming members of Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey to the stage. What a treat!! Get your tickets soon and read more about our concert below:
https://www.towntopics.com/2024/08/28/orchestra-returns-to-stage-of-richardson-auditorium/

Ticket link: https://www.princetonsymphony.org/performances/tchaikovskys-violin-concerto/2024-09-14-0

Photo credit: Nick Bayless

The released tracks sound incredible -- check out the article below!

Watch: “Senso Comune," from Caroline Shaw's Original Score for New Ken Burns Film, 'LEONARDO da VINCI,' Out Now | Nonesuch Records The official site of Nonesuch Records

Here is another chance to see Angel Blue! Tap the link below and get tickets at your nearest movie theater.

Met Summer Encore 2024: Porgy & Bess - Fathom Events Other Upcoming Events

Now Working Mostly Offstage, Marc Uys Makes Sure the Princeton Symphony Orchestra Doesn't Miss a Beat Princeton, NJ – The year that the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) arrived on the Princeton scene, 1980, was coincidentally the same year I started working fulltime for the Princeton Packet.

Join the Princeton Symphony Orchestra for Maestro Rossen Milanov's 60th Birthday Celebration Season!
https://www.princetonsymphony.org/

“It’s surreal sometimes when you have the opportunity to take it all in. The creativity is everywhere. You’re surrounded by gardens. The music is beyond words. It’s really a special event.” - John Andraka, Production Manager, Starlite.

We agree!! And we are so fortunate to work with all the incredible folks at Starlite who help support the vision of the Princeton Festival and help us bring it to life. Read more below.

For our penultimate festival performance, Empire Wild took the stage with a wide variety of tunes from their repertoire. Ranging from originals to classical staples and jazz covers to Scottish reels, the audience was treated to a little bit of everything demonstrating their versatility as an ensemble. The members of Empire Wild varied their line up with solos and duos that featured their instrumental talents while interjecting personal stories to illustrate their musical journeys. Kudos to Empire Wild and our concertgoers for braving the humidity!

The Sebastians thrilled the concertgoers again, no surprise there! From Telemann’s intimate Concerto in A Major for flute, violin, and cello to the playful Suite for two violins, “Gulliver’s Travels” to Bach’s jaunty Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, the Sebastians showcased their sensitivity and virtuosity with each piece. Cheers to another fabulous Princeton Festival performance!

We had a wonderful turnout for our Juneteenth Community Celebration, heat notwithstanding! Tipple & Rose provided delicious complimentary treats and the BigEasy Ewing had full dinners available for purchase. The ‘Let Freedom Ring’ oral history project was a success thanks to many who shared their stories in the phone booth.

Many thanks to our community partners Art Against Racism , Historical Society of Princeton, Not In Our Town - Princeton, Morven Museum & Garden, Passage Theatre at the Mill Hill Playhouse, The Paul Robeson House of Princeton, Princeton Parents for Black Children, Princeton Public Library and the Voices of Princeton Project, Stuart Country Day School, West Windsor Arts, The Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society, and YWCA Princeton for helping make this day meaningful for all our attendees!

It was an honor to be part of the Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony with the Municipality of Princeton (Princeton, NJ Government). Councilmembers Leighton Newlin and Leticia Fraga led the ceremony with guest speaker Leanna Jahnke, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Affordable Housing, Human Services, and Racial, Social, and Economic Equity. Dawana Richardson and George Johnson III led the attendees in a beautiful rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during the flag raising.

Also in attendance were PSO Executive Director Marc Uys, PSO Trustee Benedikt von Schröder, Mayor Mark Freda, Council President Mia Sacks, Councilmembers Eve Niedergang, Michelle Pirone Lambros, and David Cohen. Thank you to all involved for such a beautiful start to our terrific Juneteenth celebration!

The Juneteenth Celebration Honoring Black Choral Music featured a jubilant evening of choral selections. The Capital Singers of Trenton conducted by Vinroy D. Brown, Jr. and the Capital Singers of Trenton Women’s Ensemble led by Ellen J. Dondero commenced the evening with a moving message from Rev. Simeon Spencer.

Vinroy D. Brown, Jr., conductor returned with the massive Princeton Festival Chorus, soloists Dawana Richardson and George Johnson III, and an instrumental ensemble for a rousing performance of Robert Ray’s "Gospel Mass" eliciting joyful claps and applause throughout. Following a standing ovation, the audience joined in for a stirring “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to end a wonderful evening of music and community. Thank you to all the choirs and respective conductors for their dedication and for joining us for the festival!

We are thrilled to welcome Empire Wild this Friday, 6/21 at 7pm at the Performance Pavilion at Morven Museum & Garden! This classical crossover trio will delight you with their combination of original music, vocals, covers, and more. Enjoy a video of their version of Chick Corea's 'Armando's Rhumba' mixed with some other recognizable surprises and get your tickets to hear this unique trio!

Tickets: https://www.princetonsymphony.org/performances/empire-wild/2024-06-21

https://youtu.be/6kKQPHUaVnI?feature=shared

Empire Wild Empire Wild is a genre-bending, Juilliard-trained classical crossover trio featuring two cellos, piano, and vocals. In this captivating program, the group brings its signature mix of original music, inventive covers, and twists on the classical canon."Put all together, Empire Wild provides a sonical...

Happy Juneteenth! We have a great celebration underway in collaboration with Princeton, NJ Government with treats from Tipple + Rose Tea Parlor and Apothecary and dinner available from The Big Easy Restaurant & Hospitality Center. The day culminates with a concert honoring Black choral music at the Princeton Festival at Morven Museum & Garden.

Juneteenth Celebration Honoring Black Choral Music Choral conductor Vinroy D. Brown, Jr. of Westminster Choir College leads a choir drawn from the community and anchored by the Capital Singers of Trenton. The program will feature Robert Ray’s iconic Gospel Mass with additional choral selections highlighting the joy and spirit of Black music.This p...

Join us for some tasty concessions this evening from 5:30-7pm for Olsson’s and Ficus before the performance of ‘Così’!! More details here: https://www.princetonsymphony.org/visit/festival-concessions

We’re so excited to have Santino Fontana in concert this upcoming Saturday, 6/22 accompanied by pianist Cody Owen Stine. He’ll be performing his signature cabaret-style act where he chooses songs out of a hat. Enjoy this video below of Fontana performing a jolly version of “I Feel Pretty” and join us for an evening of laughter, storytelling, and song starting at 7pm at the Performance Pavilion at Morven Museum & Garden:

https://www.princetonsymphony.org/performances/evening-santino-fontana/2024-06-22

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOg9ZUqRDhM

Santino Fontana | "I Feel Pretty" Santino FontanaPart of the Glick Philanthropies Broadway at The Cabaret SeriesPresented by: Jim & Ray Luther-Pfeil Producing Sponsors: The National Bank of I...

The cast of the Così fan tutte shares their insights into Mozart's Comic Opera, playing at the 2024 Princeton Festival. After this afternoon's SOLD OUT performance, you have one more opportunity to catch this fun opera! Tickets are available at princetonsymphony.org/festival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdZpUMSa7SA

Behind the Scenes of Così fan tutte The cast of the Così fan tutte shares their insights into Mozart's Comic Opera, playing at the Princeton Festival this June. Tickets are available at princet...

Last night’s excitement began with some exuberant winds and ended with a successful opening night of Mozart’s ‘Così fan tutte’! Congratulations to the cast, orchestra, and crew on a wonderful performance. We hope you enjoy pictures of the storm clouds giving way to a beautiful Così-themed pink and blue sky! Many thanks to Yvonne Marcuse for helping to make this year's Festival opera production possible.

We have two more opera performances remaining so get your tickets while you can: https://www.princetonsymphony.org/performances/mozarts-cosi-fan-tutte/2024-06-14

Come early this weekend and enjoy some pre-performance concessions from our wonderful Foodie Friends! Many thanks to Chez Alice Princeton, Ficus, Olsson’s, and Jammin’ Crepes for bringing their delicious treats to Princeton Festival. More information about what food will be offered can be found at this link: https://www.princetonsymphony.org/visit/festival-concessions

The Abeo Quartet thrilled the audience last night at Trinity Church. They performed a program of works by Reena Esmail, Dmitri Shostakovich, ending with Franz Schubert’s epic String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, ‘Death and the Maiden’. Thank you all for joining us!

Did you know that a member of our ‘Così fan tutte’ cast is a local?? Alexis Peart, who plays Dorabella, is from nearby Titusville! Read more about her journey below in. Town Topics Newspaper and get your tickets to see the opera.

https://www.towntopics.com/wordpress/2024/06/12/titusville-native-takes-starring-role-in-princeton-festivals-cosi-fan-tutte/

Photo by Stephen Laschever

We had a fabulous string quartet from Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey help us in the conducting tent for Family Day. Conducting the quartet was a favorite activity for many of our young Family Day attendees and it was definitely ours as well. Many thanks to YOCJ for your continued support and partnership and to Maestro Kenny Bean for leading the experience. Most of all, thank you to Sanjay Kaushik, Richard Aerath, Tanav Gowda, and Aarav Patel for their warmth, enthusiasm, and musical flexibility with our budding young conductors!

Sunday was packed with activities at the Princeton Festival! A drizzly start didn’t stop over a hundred participants from enjoying Yoga in the Garden led by Gemma Farrell accompanied by Georgia Bourderionnet on cello. Our instrument zoo with Princeton Symphony Orchestra musicians, conducting tent with Maestro Kenny Bean, musical arts and crafts, and the opening of our Listen Up! exhibit were enjoyed by all throughout the afternoon. The day ended with the audience singing, clapping, and dancing along with Sonia De Los Santos and her incredible band! Many thanks to Gratitude Yoga, Chez Alice Princeton, Rita’s Water Ice, and Lululemon for their support.

THURSDAY night at the Princeton Festival – Music by Schubert, Shostakovich, and Esmail performed by the Abeo Quartet. This concert takes place at Trinity Church, across the street from the main Festival campus at Morven Museum & Garden.

Abeo Quartet Formed at Juilliard in 2018 and a prizewinner at major chamber music competitions, the Abeo Quartet is quickly establishing itself as one of the leading string quartets of its generation. In its debut Princeton Festival performance, the quartet presents works by Schubert, Shostakovich, and Esmail.En...

Our promotional partners have made it easy for you to enjoy a variety of specials and discounts in town during the Princeton Festival from June 7-22. We are so grateful to be a part of such a supportive community! Details below or at this link:
https://www.princetonsymphony.org/visit/town-specials

1. Aspendos Mediterranean Cuisine
$45 Prix fixe dinner menu OR 10% off dine-in order (non prix-fixe) with proof of Festival ticket.

2. The Bent Spoon
Special Festival ice-cream flavor available opening weekend while supplies last: Strawberry-Elderflower!

3. Ficus
10% discount on in-store orders from June 7-22 with proof of Festival ticket.

4. Maman
15% discount on in-store orders at Maman (Princeton location) from June 7-22 with proof of Festival ticket.

5. The Perch Restaurant at the Peacock Inn
$50 prix fixe dinner menu every day except Monday. Check back soon for more information.

6. The Peacock Inn
Enjoy 10% off your room stay from June 7-22 (up to 3 nights) by showing proof of your Festival ticket at check-in.

7. Pizza Den
15% discount on purchases. Show your Festival ticket to receive the discount.

8. Princeton Soup & Sandwich Company
10% off any order. Show your Festival ticket to receive the discount.

9. Orvana
15% discount on purchases. Show your Festival ticket to receive the discount.

The second night of the 2024 Princeton Festival brought us another gorgeous summer evening as ‘The Music of Tina Turner’ had the audience on its feet! Lucas Waldin led the Princeton Symphony Orchestra with vocalists LaKisha Jones, Nova Payton, and Matthew Johnson in a wonderful commemoration of the 'Queen of Rock n' Roll'. Many thanks to Anne VanLent and corporate partner Glenmede for their generosity.