HONORING AN ANNIVERSARY: Princeton Pro Musica’s “American Resonance” program is among the cultural events with a semiquincentennial theme this year. Pictured are late composer Frank Lewin preparing “Kennedy Mass,” with soloists Sylvia Jones and Leo Goeke, for its premiere at Princeton University Chapel on May 27, 1969. The piece is on the program when Princeton Pro Musica appears at the Chapel on May 9.

By Anne Levin

A major milestone in American history is dominating the calendar this year, and area performing arts groups are making the most of the patriotic theme. In Princeton and the surrounding area, there is classical music, musical theater, ballet, modern dance, and more. Following is a list of some of the events inspired by the semiquincentennial — some directly, others more subtly — taking place through the anniversary year, in order of date.

The Philadelphia Orchestra’s program April 30-May 2, at the Kimmel Center, is titled “Copland’s American Inspiration” and features violinist Leila Josefowicz (familiar to local audiences for her appearances with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra) and conductor Matthias Pintscher. In addition to American composer Aaron Copland’s Symphony No. 3, a work by Pintscher and excerpts from John Williams’ Close Encounters of the Third Kind will be performed.

“Is there a composer more uniquely American than Aaron Copland?” reads the orchestra’s website. “Conjuring up images of the fog-shrouded Blue Ridge and the sun-brittle prairie, celebrating the sweat of honest toil and the heroism of the everyday, he embodies the heart of the American ethos.” Visit philorch.org for ticket information.

Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn pays tribute to the country’s founding with the musical 1776, on stage April 15-May 2. Based on the events leading to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the show that premiered on Broadway in 1969 follows John Adams’ efforts to persuade his colleagues to vote for American independence and sign the document. Visit papermill.org for tickets.

You can’t get much more patriotic than the ballet Stars and Stripes, choreographed by George Balanchine in 1958 for the New York City Ballet. American Repertory Ballet performs the piece May 1-3 at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center, on a program titled “Americana.” The Balanchine work shares the spotlight with his “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux” and world premieres by company dancer Michelle Quiner and its Artist in Residence Ethan Stiefel. Visit njpac.org for tickets.

“An American Tapestry: Voices of Many” is Voices Chorale NJ’s theme on May 2 at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street. The Hope of Loving by American composer and conductor Jake Runestad is on the program, along with American songbook classics, spirituals, and choral works. Visit Voiceschoralenj.org for tickets.

Princeton Pro Musica’s “American Resonance” program on May 9 at Princeton University Chapel is not its first this year to follow a patriotic theme. In March, the symphonic chorus presented “Freedom Writers,” focused on the writings of American writers and American musicians. The highlight of the upcoming concert is Requiem for Robert F. Kennedy, written by Princeton composer Frank Lewin in 1969. According to the organization’s Executive Director Mary Trigg, it has been performed only once, at the chapel and on its celebrated organ.

“That in itself is pretty significant,” she said. “All of the compositions on the program are by American composers — not specifically patriotic in style, but definitely celebrating American music.”

Two of Lewin’s daughters will be in town for the performance, and are scheduled to take part in a panel discussion of their father’s work with Princeton Pro Musica Artistic Director Ryan Brandau on May 5 at Princeton Public Library. The program at the chapel also includes works by Leonard Bernstein, Margaret Bonds, Shawn Kirchner, James Lee III, and Stuart Forster.

Visit princetonpromusica.org for tickets.

The New Jersey State Museum Auditorium in Trenton is the setting for “An American Journey” by the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey on May 17 at 4 p.m. Joshua Gerson conducts this season finale, celebrating American voices. On the program are Luminosity by Chris Rogerson, born in 1988; Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, with narration by the Rev. Rupert A. Hall Jr.; and Anton Dvorak’s New World Symphony.

Visit capitalphilharmonic.org for tickets.

The music is almost always live for the Mark Morris Dance Group, which appears May 30 at McCarter Theatre. “Dances to American Music” is no exception. Bob Wills, George Gershwin, John Luther Adams, and pioneering stride pianist James P. Johnson are the composers represented on this program, which begins with a “Scholar’s Insight” pre-show talk. Visit mccarter.org for tickets.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra pulls out all the stops for “American Fanfare,” the closing program of the Princeton Festival, under the tent at Morven on June 21. The concert of works by American composers, led by Music Director Rossen Milanov, caps an afternoon of family-centered activities on Morven’s historic grounds. Visit princetonsymphony.org for tickets.

Roxey Ballet’s “America 250 Celebration” brings dance to the main stage at the New Hope-Lambertville joint celebration of the anniversary, ahead of the evening’s fireworks display along the Delaware River. Visit roxeyballet.org for details. More dance on an Americana theme is the focus of Philadelphia Ballet’s October 8-11 appearance at the Academy of Music. Balanchine’s Who Cares and Stars and Stripes, Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, and Eliot Feld’s Variations on ‘America’ are on the program. Visit philadelphiaballet.org for tickets.