Princeton University Concerts
Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. concerts.princeton.edu
The trio of Alexander Melnikov, piano; Isabelle Faust, violin; and Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello make their second PUC appearance with a program of Robert Schumann, Elliott Carter, and Johannes Brahms. $25 to $40. February 15.
The Richardson Chamber Players, the university’s resident ensemble, presents mixed chamber works by “Les Six,” a group of composers who lived and worked in Montparnasse in the 1920s. $15. February 22.
The 40-year-old Hagen Quartet visits Princeton as part of a rare U.S. tour to perform string quartets by Haydn, Debussy, and Beethoven. $30 to $50. March 7.
The Richardson Chamber Players return for “A French Afternoon” to recreate the program of a 1914 concert that featured the premiere of Maurice Ravel’s “3 Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé.” $15. March 24.
Pianists Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss make their PUC debut as a duo playing an all-Schubert program. $30 to $50; sold out at press time. April 3.
South African soprano Golda Schultz is joined by Jonathan Ware on piano for her PUC debut. The program, “This Be Her Verse:” Exploring the Female Perspective, includes works by Clara Schumann, Emile Mayer, Rebecca Clarke, and Nadia Boulanger. $25 to $40. April 8.
Pianist Jonathan Biss returns for another installment of the Healing with Music series alongside Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist Adam Haslett for a concert-conversation about anxiety, depression, and music. $25. April 24.
The final concert of the season features the pandemic-delayed PUC debut of the Doric Quartet, performing works for strings by Brett Dean, Beethoven, and Schubert. $25 to $40. May 2.
Boheme Opera
Kendall Hall Performance Theater, The College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing.www.bohemeopera.org
The opera company continues its 35th main stage season with “Carmen,” Georges Bizet’s tale of lust and vengeance. Boheme’s production is conducted by artistic director Joseph Pucciatti and uses virtual sets by J. Matthew Root. Also included in the performance are dancers from Alborada Spanish Dance Theatre and singers from the Princeton Boychoir and Girlchoir. $35 to $80. March 15 and 17.
Princeton Symphony Orchestra
www.princetonsymphony.org
The symphony led by conductor Rossen Milanov has two programs left on its 2023-’24 schedule. Performances take place in Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium.
Time For Three performs Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts’ “Contact,” which was written for the ensemble and received two Grammy Awards in 2023. Also on the program are orchestral suites drawn from ballets by Marin Goleminov and by Sergei Prokofiev. $35 and up. March 9 and 10.
Soloist Sara Davis Buechner takes on Ludwig Van Beethoven’s first piano concerto. John Luther Adams’ “Become River” explores a river’s progress, and Robert Schumann’s restlessly romantic fourth symphony departs from classical form with a single movement. $35 and up. May 11 and 12.
Princeton Pro Musica
www.princetonpromusica.org
The group dedicated to the performance of classical choral masterworks has two concerts on its spring schedule, both set to take place in Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus.
First, the full chorus, orchestra, and four soloists present “Mozart & Barnes,” a performance of Mozart’s “Requiem” paired with a new companion work by Baltimore-based composer Jasmine Barnes titled “Portraits: Tubman & Douglass.” The soloists are Crystal Glenn, soprano; Sylvia Leith, mezzo-soprano; Alex Longnecker, tenor; and Mark Hightower, bass. $15 to $65. March 17.
Following is “Moravec/Campbell: Sanctuary Road” featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campell’s retelling of the work of the prolific Underground Railroad conductor William Still and the stories of those he helped to find freedom. $15 to $65. May 5.
Capital Philharmonic
www.capitalphilharmonic.org
The Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey is on the move this spring, with performances in three different Trenton venues.
The first stop is at the Trenton War Memorial for a program titled “Triumphant Trifecta of Musical Mastery” featuring Igor Stravinsky’s “Petrushka,” “Seven O’Clock Shout” by Valerie Coleman, and Philip Glass’ Violin Concerto No. 1, performed by Grammy Award winner Yvonne Lam. Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton. $30 to $50. March 16.
Next is “Ballet Mecanique,” written by Trenton’s own George Antheil and presented in partnership with the Trenton Circus Squad. Other works on the program include pieces by Daniel Spalding, John Cage, Lou Harrison, and J.S. Bach. Roebling Machine Shop, 675 South Clinton Avenue, Trenton. $40. April 20.
Last but not least is a family-friendly Mother’s Day concert consisting of Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf,” the overture to Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik,” and a concerto performance by the Mary G. Roebling Youth Concerto competition winner. State Museum Theater, 205 West State Street, Trenton. $40. May 12.
New Jersey Symphony
www.njsymphony.org
The NJS splits its performances between Newark, Red Bank, Morristown, Princeton, and New Brunswick, with several performances at the latter two venues on the spring schedule.
Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” with concertmaster Eric Wyrick on violin, headlines a program also including Reena Esmail’s pandemic-era overture “RE|Member” and Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto. State Theater, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $25 to $169. February 25.
David Ludwig’s 2000 piece “NightVision,” Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 with pianist Tom Borrow, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 are up next. Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. $25 to $119. March 15.
“ATLAS,” an NJS co-commission by Anna Clyne, features piano soloist Jeremy Denk. Also on the program are Berlioz’s “Roman Carnival Overture” and Beethoven Symphony No. 3, “Eroica.” Richardson Auditorium. $25 to $123. May 17.
The season finale is titled “Daniil Trifonov Plays Gershwin,” with his Concerto in F and excerpts from “Porgy and Bess.” Also on the program is the world premiere of new work by Daniel Bernard Roumain commissioned by the New Jersey Symphony. State Theater. $25 to $102. June 6. And Richardson Auditorium. $25 to $117. June 7.
State Theater of New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. www.stnj.org.
The Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra visits for an all-Beethoven program conducted by Derek Gleeson and featuring pianist Ivaylo Vassilev. $25 to $55. February 17.
Renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman is joined by Rohan De Silva on piano to perform works by Handel, Beethoven, and Schumann. This special event includes a pre-concert cocktail reception and post-concert dessert reception. $49 to $99. February 24.
The Kyiv Virtuosi Symphony Orchestra, led by Grammy-nominated chief conductor and artistic director Dmitry Yablonsky, celebrates Ukraine’s remarkable music and culture with a program of Mendelssohn, Berliner, and Beethoven. Piano soloist Alon Kariv joins. $25 to $55. March 17.
McCarter Theater
91 University Place, Princeton. www.mccarter.org.
“Voice and the Violin” is an evening of romantic arias and modern classics, including selections from Mendelssohn, Hérold, Puccini, Bernstein, and more featuring Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell, soprano Larisa Martinez, and pianist Peter Dugan. $60 to $90. May 28.
Capital Singers of Trenton
www.capitalsingers.org
CST Chorale presents “Her Sacred Spirit Soars,” featuring David Lang’s “The Little Match Girl Passion” and other selected works. 1867 Sanctuary, 101 Scotch Road, Ewing. March 15.
The singers’ annual spring concert, “Shout For Joy,” features Handel’s Chandos Anthem and other selected works. Vinroy D. Brown Jr. conducts. Sacred Heart Church, 343 South Broad Street, Trenton. $20. May 4.
CST Women’s Ensemble, under the direction of associate conductor Ellen J. Dondero, presents “The Elements,” a special performance celebrating nature. Sacred Heart Church. May 19.
