This year’s festival will be like no other with three staged operas, chamber music, orchestral and pops concerts, plus cabaret and jazz nights.
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra announced that tickets are now available for the 18th Princeton Festival, June 10-25, 2022, by phone at 609-497-0020 and online at princetonsymphony.org/festival.
This year's festival will be like no other with three staged operas, chamber music, orchestral and pops concerts, plus cabaret and jazz nights all taking place under the Festival's massive outdoor performance tent being erected on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden. Baroque concerts can be enjoyed across the way at Trinity Episcopal Church.
The new artistic head of the Princeton Festival responsible for its creative programming is Princeton Symphony Orchestra's Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov. Mr. Milanov says, "This is an extraordinary event. I love bringing a community together through shared musical experiences. My hope is that people who come to the Festival will see it as a relaxed and welcoming environment in which to try something new, like attend an opera, sit in on a jazz set, or learn about Baroque music. It is all that a summer festival should be."
Having recently merged with the Festival, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra plays an integral role, both as Festival organizer and performance orchestra. The orchestra is performing in the opening concert starring Storm Large and, later in the Festival, accompanying Broadway's leading lady Sierra Boggess. It's also providing the music underlying three operas: a double bill which pairs Derrick Wang's opera Scalia/Ginsburg about the two Supreme Court justices with W. A. Mozart's The Impresario centered on rival divas, and Benjamin Britten's only comic opera, Albert Herring. The Festival is capped by a family pops concert of orchestral favorites.
All performances start at 7pm with the exception of the opening night concert, which begins at 7:30pm. Here is a comprehensive listing of ticketed performances:
Seven Deadly Sins Starring Storm Large - Kurt Weill's sensual The Seven Deadly Sins explores age-old temptations in modern context on a program with Rodion Shchedrin's Carmen Suite.
Derrick Wang's opera Scalia/Ginsburg and W.A. Mozart's The Impresario - a thought-provoking, yet comedic double bill.
"What Makes it Great?": Death and the Maiden with Ron Kapilow and the Signum Quartet - an exploration of Franz Schubert's String Quartet in D Minor led by one of radio's favorite musicologists.
Schubert's Late String Quartets featuring the Signum Quartet - Schubert's "Rosamunde" quartet and the String Quartet in G Major display the composer's mastery of the form.
Stephen Sondheim Tribute - Cabaret-style entertainment with Broadway vocalists Alyssa Giannetti and Jason Forbach.
The Sebastians - New York City-based Baroque ensemble with a youthful vibe.
Albert Herring - A comic opera by Benjamin Britten about a young man who is declared May King when no virtuous maidens are to be found.
Time for Three - This string trio defies conventional boundaries, fusing their instruments with their voices as they perform Americana, modern pop, and classical music.
Aaron Diehl Trio - Pianist, composer, and Juilliard grad Aaron Diehl leads his trio in a performance of works from the early jazz tradition.
Festival Chorus with the Sebastians - The Festival Chorus performs some of the most intricate and expressive music of the Baroque period.
Broadway POPS! Starring Sierra Boggess - One of Broadway's most beloved leading ladies, Ms. Boggess sings her favorite songs of the stage.
Family POPS! with Rossen Milanov and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra - A fun mix of familiar classics, movie music, and pop melodies at this family-friendly concert.
Beyond these performances, plans are underway for multiple ancillary events such as public lectures relating to works being performed and a poetry workshop and readings. These events will be free and open to the public.
Individual tickets range from $10 - $130; ticket packages are $18 and up. Check the PSO's Princeton Festival website for ticketing and event details at princetonsymphony.org/festival.
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