Princeton Symphony Orchestra Plans Outdoor Festival This June
PRINCETON, NJ — The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is planning an outdoor festival this June with an exciting lineup of artists.
The Princeton Festival is moving outdoors with an enormous, state-of-the-art, clear-span tent to be built on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden. It will encompass on-stage action and an orchestra pit, dressing rooms and other backstage areas, plus convertible seating plans. Lectures and receptions will take place at the Museum’s Stockton Education Center, and the gardens and lawn areas will be available for picnicking and other outdoor activities, festival officials said.
Morven Museum & Garden Executive Director Jill Barry is looking forward to seeing the grounds of Morven transformed in support of the arts. “Throughout the pandemic, we learned music and Morven are natural partners. The Festival will elevate summer concerts to new heights. With so many different performances in the historic setting, it will be an unparalleled experience for music lovers,” Barry said.
The Princeton Festival June 10-25 will feature performers like Storm Large, the Signum Quartet, and Baroque ensemble The Sebastians. Opera singers will inhabit the comic characters of Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg and W.A. Mozart’s The Impresario as well.
The PSO’s merger with the Princeton Festival last summer.
“Building on the Princeton Festival’s unique 17- year history, we are embarking on a new vision of a summer festival filled with wonderful performances in a unique summer setting,” said Rossen Milanov, Edward T. Cone Music Director. “We are welcoming our audiences with a wide spectrum of exciting events ranging from orchestral and chamber music performances, fully staged operas, popular entertainment, jazz, and baroque music to events designed to be enjoyed by the whole family. I have always dreamed of PSO having a summer presence, and look forward to connecting in a new and exciting way with our diverse community.”
The 17-year-old Festival has to be reimagined on a spectacular scale, and doing so takes careful planning and cooperation. Working behind the scenes with community leaders are Executive Director Marc Uys and Festival Director Gregory J. Geehern.
“We continue to meet with community leaders and influencers to explain our vision for the 2022 Princeton Festival. We have received so much positive feedback from everyone. It confirms all we are seeking to accomplish on behalf of the town of Princeton and those who appreciate the live performing arts,” Uys said.
The PSO received "encouragement” and cooperation from Mayor Mark Freda and the municipality of Princeton.
“This is truly exciting,” Freda said in a statement, “seeing how the Princeton Festival, through the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, has been adapted into an outdoor event for 2022. Audiences will be able to take advantage of this multi-day series of events on the grounds of the Morven Museum & Garden and experience Princeton. This is a great opportunity for fans of the Princeton Festival, fans of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, and for our business community.”
Preparations for the Princeton Festival are ongoing. Geehern says, “We are looking to the business community to help us make the Festival a success through sponsorships and program ads, and are hopeful that local residents show their support by attending the Festival come June.”
PSO is closely monitoring and adhering to the New Jersey Department of Health’s COVID-19 requirements. Concert attendees will receive information regarding safety procedures, entry, seating directions, etc. in advance of their selected live performance(s).
Check the PSO’s Princeton Festival website for more details: princetonsymphony.org/festival.
This article originally appeared on the Princeton Patch
