The newly formed Princeton Opera Alliance makes its debut with a production of Gaetano Donizetti’s comic opera “Don Pasquale” on Friday, October 17, and Sunday, October 19, at the Princeton Meadows Church, 545 Meadow Road, West Windsor. Performance times are at 7:30 p.m.
The company says that it was designed to foster collaboration among musicians, artists, and community members in the greater Princeton area to present operas, recitals, and choral. It also has created a POA youth orchestra to provide “a unique educational opportunity for young instrumentalists who wish to expand their repertoire.”
The production is designed and directed by Brandon Motz, a Westminster Choir College graduate who will also be directing a presentation in the college’s summer CoOPERAtive. Joshua Alexander Hemmings — a baritone who has performed with Bel Canto at the Caramoor Center for Music & Arts in Katonah, New York, and with Westminster Choir — performs the title role. He is joined by soprano Peggy Yu, who has a master’s degree in voice performance from Temple University and was selected as a Young Artist for the International Vocal Arts Institute in Montreal.
South Brunswick School District music instructor Jared Judge is developing the orchestra that organist, Westminster Choir College graduate, and past Opera MODO director Derrick Goff will conduct.
Tickets for the production, sung in Italian with English subtitles, are $10 for adults, $5 for children and students. For more information, including the company’s current Jumpstart campaign to fund the presentation, go to www.princetonopera.org, or contact Rachel Barker, general director, at 609-436-9993.
