Princeton Symphony Orchestra Reveals Line-Up For Live Arts Festival

PRINCETON, NJ - The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) reveals the line-up of performances for this year’s Princeton Festival - the annual live arts extravaganza.

The Festival will take place June 9-25, 2023 under a tented pavilion on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden.

This year’s events range from a comic opera by Gioachino Rossini to tributes honoring the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin and Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the US. It will also include orchestral concerts, chamber music and dance, a Juneteenth celebration, a Family Day, and performances by three 2023 Grammy Award winners.

“We wanted to create a Festival that was fun, yet relevant – connecting with new audiences through music, dance, and theater – proving that age-old art forms can be fresh and full of meaning for today’s arts lovers,” said Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov.

Milanov will conduct Rossini’s opera buffa masterpiece “The Barber of Seville,” sung in the original Italian with English subtitles, and starring Kelly Guerra as Rosina and Nicholas Nestorak as Count Almaviva.

Andrew Lippa’s theatrical oratorio “I Am Harvey Milk,” will be staged at then festival. The show celebrates the life of the first openly gay man to hold public office in California. The show’s creator, Lippa, will conduct, and Adam Kantor and Scarlett Strallen sing the roles of Harvey and Soprano, respectively.

Opening weekend features a Friday night performance by the 2023 Grammy Award-winning trio Time For Three.

Saturday evening’s soulful Aretha: A Tribute will star vocalists Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Devlin, and is followed Sunday by a piano recital featuring the talented Christopher Taylor.

Later in the Festival, indulge in some improve fun with “Broadway’s Next Hit Musical” where audience members come up with ideas for a hit Broadway tune to be converted into an instant show by a quick-witted cast.

Juneteenth with be celebrated with community events and a song recital by Metropolitan Opera star baritone and 2023 Grammy Award winner Will Liverman.

2023 Princeton Festival tickets are available now, and range in price from $10 - $125. While most performances take place at Morven Museum & Garden, some are located inside Trinity Church. For dates, times, program information, and tickets, visit princetonsymphony.org/festival.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com