New Jersey Symphony Summer Season to Feature GODFATHER, BAAHUBALI, Free Parks Concerts, and More
See the full summer season lineup below!
By: Blair Ingenthron Apr. 23, 2024
The New Jersey Symphony will present two epic films in concert with the score played live by the orchestra this summer, as well as concerts in the parks, a concert featuring emerging composers and a free preview concert of the upcoming 2024–25 season.
Baahubali: The Beginning Live in Concert tells the story of a young orphan, Shivudu (Prabhas), as he embarks on a journey of a lifetime. Falling in love with the vision of a fearless warrior, Avantika (Tamannaah), he follows her on a mission to rescue her Queen from captivity in a neighboring kingdom. On this mission in Mahishmati, he encounters Kattappa (Satyaraj), a slave warrior and a confidante of the Mahishmati Royal Family. Through him Shivudu learns the truth of his family and the injustice imparted to them. He takes on the tyrannical ruler in a battle of mythical magnitude to restore to the kingdom their true King. The Hollywood Reporter says “It's possible to enjoy the film as pure entertainment even without being privy to the superlatives surrounding it ... ” The film will be shown in Hindi with English subtitles.
Baahubali: The Beginning Live in Concert is presented in two New Jersey venues:
- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark on Saturday, July 27, at 7:30 pm
- State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on Sunday, July 28, at 3 pm
The Godfather Live in Concert brings Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece film to music venues for the first time, making its New Jersey debut! Winner of three Academy Awards and countless other honors, The Godfather remains one of the greatest films in the history of cinema. Nino Rota's iconic score accompanied by the film's traditional Italian folk music and jazz comes to life on stage, performed live by the New Jersey Symphony while the film is simultaneously shown in high definition on the big screen. A concert experience you can't refuse!
The Godfather Live in Concert is presented in two New Jersey venues:
- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark on Friday, August 16, at 7:30 pm
- Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank on Sunday, August 18, at 3 pm
Tickets for both movies in concert go on sale Tuesday, April 23, at 10 am, and are available at: njsymphony.org/events
The New Jersey Symphony will present the return of the outdoor concert series this summer, with free concerts in Jersey City, Newark, Red Bank, South Amboy and Toms River. The programming, perfect for families, includes selections from Bizet's Carmen and works from composers Valerie Coleman, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, John Philip Sousa, John Williams and others. The concerts will be conducted by Joshua Gersen.
Free concerts take place:
- Tuesday, June 25, 2024, 8 pm at Ocean County College in Toms River
- Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 7:30 pm at Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in South Amboy
- Friday, June 28, 2024, 7:30 pm at Branch Brook Park in Newark, part of the North2Shore Festival
- Saturday, June 29, 2024, 8 pm at Marine Park in Red Bank
- Sunday, June 30, 2024, 7:30 pm at Liberty State Park in Jersey City
The Symphony will also perform outdoors at the Morris Arts' 40th Annual Giralda Music and Arts Festival in Madison on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 6 pm. Tickets go on sale in May and will be available at morrisarts.org.
The Edward T. Cone Composition Institute, in residence in Princeton for the tenth year, will present its annual public performance titled New Scores: The Cone Composition Institute Concert, featuring the works of the four composers chosen for this year's Institute by the New Jersey Symphony on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 8 pm, at Richardson Auditorium in Princeton. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, April 23, at 10 am, and are available at: njsymphony.org/events
The Edward T. Cone Composition Institute, presented in collaboration with the Princeton University Music Department, is a multifaced, tuition-free opportunity designed to promote contemporary orchestral music by enhancing the careers of four emerging composers. Winning composers will have their music performed by the New Jersey Symphony and will participate in in-depth career development sessions with industry leaders. The winners will be announced at a later date.
Celebrated composer Steven Mackey, a music professor and director of graduate studies in composition at Princeton University, is the institute director. Christopher Rountree, a highly-regarded conductor and composer who is deeply embedded in the new music scene, will be the Institute's guest conductor.
The Institute is open to university composition students and composers in the early stages of their professional careers. Composers selected for this program will participate in a week of coaching sessions, rehearsals with the New Jersey Symphony, career development sessions, and discussions on topics including music publishing and funding new works.
Experience highlights of New Jersey Symphony's upcoming season in the 2024-25 Season Preview Concert, on Thursday, August 15, 2024, at 7 pm at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, in the Victoria Theater. Conducted by Jessica Rivero Altarriba, the New Jersey Symphony 2023–24 Colton Conducting Fellow, the program will feature pieces from the upcoming season, including Tchaikovsky's “Polonaise” from Eugene Onegin; Debussy's Clair de Lune; selections from Stravinsky's The Firebird, and Márquez's Danzon No. 2. This concert is free with registration. Registration opens Tuesday, April 23, at 10 am, and is available at: njsymphony.org/events
June 22: This concert is presented by Morris Arts.
June 25: This concert is sponsored by the Ocean County College Foundation and supported by the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission and Ocean County Board of Commissioners.
June 26: This concert is sponsored by Middlesex County and is presented in collaboration with the Arts Institute of Middlesex County.
June 28: The Branch Brook Park concert is sponsored by the County of Essex with additional support from Citizens Bank and is presented in collaboration with the North2Shore Festival.
June 29: This concert is presented by Red Bank RiverCenter.
June 30: This concert is supported by Mayor Steven M. Fulop, the Jersey City Municipal Council, and the Office of Cultural Affairs. Supported with public funds from the Arts and Culture Trust Fund and the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation. Paid for with State of NJ UEZ funds.
July 20: The Symphony presents the Institute in collaboration with Princeton University Department of Music. Major underwriting support for the New Jersey Symphony Edward T. Cone Institute is generously provided by the Edward T. Cone Foundation and Princeton University.
July 27 & 28: Baahubali: The Beginning film licensed by Arka Media Works. Producers: Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni.
July 27 & 28: Presentation/Baahubali: The Beginning is a production of Avex Classics International.
August 15: Jessica Rivero Altarriba is the 2023–24 Colton Conducting Fellow, made possible by the generous support of Judy and Stewart Colton.
August 16 & 18: The Godfather Live presentation licensed by CineConcerts.
New Jersey Symphony
The Emmy and Grammy Award-winning New Jersey Symphony is redefining what it means to be a nationally leading, relevant orchestra in the 21st century. The Symphony is renewing its deeply rooted commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by championing new, and often local, artists; engaging audiences for whom the inspiring depth and breadth of classical music will be a new experience; and incorporating the broadest possible representation in all aspects of our organization-all to better reflect and serve our vibrant communities. Since 2021, Music Director Xian Zhang has worked together with composer, violinist, educator and social-justice advocate Daniel Bernard Roumain, the orchestra's Resident Artistic Catalyst, to offer programming that connects with diverse communities in Newark and throughout New Jersey.
Internationally renowned Chinese American conductor Xian Zhang began her tenure as the New Jersey Symphony's current Music Director in 2016. Since her arrival at the New Jersey Symphony, Zhang has revitalized programming with an industry leading commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in mainstage concerts.
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