FESTIVAL OPENER: Storm Large sings music of Kurt Weill in the Princeton Festival’s first appearance of the season at Morven on Friday, June 10. (Photo by Laura Domela)

Vocalist Storm Large opens the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO)’s all-new Princeton Festival on Friday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m., in a tent on the grounds of Morven Museum and Garden, 55 Stockton Street.

Large sings the dual Anna role in Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins in a concert performance of the work with the PSO. On Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12 at 7 p.m., the Festival continues with the opening performances of the comedic, fully staged opera double bill consisting of Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Impresario. All three vocal works are sung in English with English titles.

The Seven Deadly Sins features songs tracing the movements and actions of two Annas, a pragmatic singer and a passionate, impulsive dancer, through seven U.S. cities in which they encounter sinful temptations. Paired with this work is Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite, for which the composer arranged and orchestrated the music from Bizet’s eponymous opera for strings and percussion.

Music Director Rossen Milanov conducts the performance. “I love Kurt Weill’s deeply original music — sensual, inventive, violent at moments,” he said. “Storm Large is perfectly at home with the style of this music requiring not just extraordinary vocal skills, but also an amazing stage presence.” more

SMART ART: Paintings by members of the New York City United Federation of Retired Teachers will be on view at Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury June 2 through June 27. An artist reception will be held on Sunday, June 5 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury will host an exhibit by members of the New York City United Federation of Retired Teachers from June 2 through June 27. Many of the exhibiting members were in a painting class run by the United Federation of Teachers as part of the SI Beagle Program, a program designed to be a part of continuing learning by the New York City Teachers Union, which was located in Manalapan as part of the Union’s outreach program.

The classes are currently virtual. Chapters are in the five boroughs of New York City and outreach programs in various states and countries throughout the world. Linda Gilbert, chairperson of Gourgaud Gallery and member of the Cranbury Arts Council, was the original instructor, followed by Deborah Rosen. Gilbert started the painting class in New Jersey in 2010.

The artists include Gilbert, Rosen, Donna Rittner. and Frances Gunther, who have all exhibited before in various shows at the Gourgaud Gallery. They also welcome newcomers to this exhibit, who are also retired teachers from New York City.  more

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) has announced the return of its Dance, Princeton, Dance series just in time for Princeton Pride 2022.

On Friday, June 3, the ACP’s parking lot will transform into an open-air dance party from 8 to 10 p.m. with tunes supplied by Princeton Record Exchange’s own DJ ModCon2. This celebration of Princeton Pride is open to everyone and all ages.

Admission is a suggested donation of $5, to benefit the ACP’s Pride Art Club, where teens work collaboratively to create and complete a graphic novel. Led by teaching artist and queer activist Rashad Malik Davis, this free class uses the process of creating a narrative and characters and to explore issues of gender identity, self-expression, and acceptance in a safe and creative space.

The Princeton Pride Dance Party is hosted in collaboration with the Princeton Record Exchange, with support from the Bayard Rustin Center.

The Arts Council of Princeton is located at 102 Witherspoon Street. For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.

“LAMBERTVILLE ON MARCH 16, 1898”: This photo by John A. Anderson looking west along Bridge Street toward New Hope, Pa., is part of a historical photography exhibit on view at the James Wilson Marshall House Museum in Lambertville. (Photo courtesy of the Lambertville Historical Society)

A new historical photography exhibit at Lambertville’s James Wilson Marshall House Museum showcases 56 images of Lambertville as it transitioned to the 20th century, portraits, and other examples of the art of John A. Anderson.

Anderson (1829-1917), a prominent Lambertville resident and railroad executive, was an exceptional, dedicated photographer. His work communicates history and a sense of place in remarkably high resolution, thanks to his artistry and technical skill, and it holds enduring interest. In addition to the photographs, items on display include Anderson’s scrapbook and articles he wrote about local history and photography.

“It took our team 2 ½ years to select the photographs from the Collection of the Mercer Museum Library of the Bucks County Historical Society, to digitally restore and research the images and reference materials, and to develop and install the displays,” said Lambertville Historical Society Trustee Michael Menche. “This is our first new exhibit at Marshall House in more than 20 years, and the first exhibit of John A. Anderson’s work in 40 years. If you love Lambertville, old photography, or local history, we think you’ll find this very worthwhile.”

The exhibit is open every Sunday from 1-4 p.m. at the James Wilson Marshall House Museum at 60 Bridge Street in Lambertville. The exhibit is free; donations are welcome.

For more information, visit lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org.

“CATTUS ISLAND PARK, TOMS RIVER”: This painting by adult student Barbara Weinfield is featured in “Faculty Student Show,” on view through July 9 at the West Windsor Arts Center on Alexander Road in West Windsor.

The “Faculty Student Show” at West Windsor Arts (WWA) celebrates the work of teaching artists and their students created in a class or workshop at West Windsor Arts Center (WWAC) during the fall, winter, or spring sessions of the 2021-2022 class year. The exhibition runs through July 9.

WWA’s teaching artists comprise a group of talented and accomplished individuals in their field and in the community. With small class sizes there are plenty of opportunities for one-on-one instruction with their supportive staff. This provides each student with a personalized learning experience for all ages. At WWA, they value learners as creative and independent thinkers, who benefit from work in the arts and the guidance of their teaching artists. No matter the difficulties of COVID-19 and normal life, WWA aims to offer a safe place where students and teachers can leave their worries behind and feel empowered by their art.  more

SAUCY COMEDY: The 1942 Noel Coward classic “Present Laughter” comes to Kelsey Theatre May 27-June 5.

Kelsey Theatre continues its 2022 season with MTM Players’ production of Noël Coward’s popular comedy Present Laughter weekends from May 27 through June 5. Kelsey Theatre is located on the Mercer County Community College campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road in West Windsor.

First produced in 1942 with Noël Coward in the leading role, the three-act play is a semi-autobiographical comedy that follows a self-obsessed actor in the midst of a mid-life crisis. The show’s unexpected twists include seductions, suspicions, adulteries, and blackmail.

Performances are Friday and Saturday, May 27 and 28 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, May 29 at 2 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, June 3 and 4 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, June 5 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults; $18 for children, students, and senior citizens. Visit Kelseytheatre.org.

BACK ON TRACK: The Diderot String Quartet is among the ensembles returning to Richardson Auditorium this summer for Princeton University Chamber Concerts.

After two years of streaming concerts due to the pandemic, Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts’ 55th Season of free chamber music concerts will be in Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus again summer.

The season begins Thursday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m. with the Argus Quartet, playing music by Joseph Boulogne, known as the “Black Mozart,” and new music by Donald Crockett and Jessica Meyer. On Sunday, June 26 at 2 p.m., the Diderot String Quartet plays works by Bach and Mendelssohn on historic instruments for a program, “Legacy of the Fugue.” more

The Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Dance at Princeton University has announced two artists as Caroline Hearst Choreographers-in-Residence for the 2021-2022 academic year: Dianne McIntyre and Cameron McKinney.

McIntyre and McKinney have spent time this past semester at the Lewis Center engaging with the larger Princeton community and working directly with students while also developing new work with access to the Center’s studios and other resources. They joined earlier named 2021-22 Hearst Choreographers-in-Residence Kyle Marshall and Larissa Velez-Jackson.

Launched in 2017, the Caroline Hearst Choreographers-in-Residence Program fosters the Program in Dance’s connections with the dance field. It provides selected professional choreographers with resources and a rich environment to develop their work and offers opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage with diverse creative practices. The artists share their work and processes with the Princeton community through workshops, conversations, residencies, open rehearsals, and performances.

Dianne McIntyre
(Photo by Larry Coleman)

McIntyre is regarded as an artistic pioneer with an impressive choreographic career spanning five decades in dance, theater, television and film. The recipient of a 2020 Doris Duke United States Artists Fellowship, the 2019 Dance/U.S.A. Honor, a 2016 Doris Duke Artist Award, as well as a 2007 John S. Guggenheim Fellowship, McIntyre’s individualistic movement style reflects her affinity for cultural histories, personal narratives and the boldness, nuances, discipline and freedom in music and poetic text.  more

GETTING EXTRA INSIGHT: Artists of the Princeton Festival are shown in a previous roundtable discussion. The topic on June 2 is the upcoming opera “Albert Herring.”

Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s (PSO) Princeton Festival Guild presents its annual Artists’ Round Table on Thursday, June 2, at 7 p.m. at the Princeton Public Library’s Community Room. The Guild invites anyone curious about what goes into putting on an opera to this roundtable discussion centered on Benjamin Britten’s only comic opera, Albert Herring.

Moderated by Guild member and Princeton Symphony Orchestra Trustee Marcia Bossart, panelists will discuss the upcoming production of Britten’s opera, preparing for a role, and the joys and challenges of being in the opera business. more

COLOR ME BLUE: As part of their current tour, the Blue Man Group comes to the State Theatre New Jersey May 24-26. (Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

The Blue Man Group appears at State Theatre New Brunswick for three performances on Tuesday-Thursday, May 24-26 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $40-$98. 

More than 50 million people around the world have experienced the Blue Man Group. The New Brunswick engagement is part of a new North American tour. The group is known for signature drumming, colorful moments of creativity, and quirky comedy. The men are still blue, but the rest is all new, with pulsing, original music; custom-made instruments; and surprise audience interaction.

Since debuting at New York’s Astor Place Theatre in 1991, the live show has expanded to additional domestic residencies in Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas, an international residency in Berlin, and multiple North American and World tours.

The State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue. Visit STNJ.org for tickets.

HOMEBASED TALENT: Fiona Tyndall and Friends performs on June 5 at 4 p.m. as part of Princeton Public Library’s Listen Local series.

The Listen Local series of concerts on Hinds Plaza continues on June 5 when Fiona Tyndall and Friends performs from 4-5:15 p.m. In the event of rain, the performance will be moved to the Community Room.

The concert, “From Clare to Here,” features Tyndall, a vocalist and recording artist; and Ben Stein, an actor and musician; who will be joined by guest artists in a performance of traditional Celtic songs and some popular cover songs from both sides of the Atlantic. more

ART AT SMALL WORLD: Artist and barista Beatrice Weisner-Chianese is shown with some of her works on exhibit at the 254 Nassau Street location through June 7.

Small World Coffee is featuring the art of two of its employees through June 7.

Barista Beatrice Weisner-Chianese is exhibiting at the 254 Nassau Street location and works by former barista and current social media manager Jacqui Alexander are on view at the 14 Witherspoon Street location.

Wiesner-Chianese is a self-taught artist using photography, painting, and paper quilling as her mediums. Her art is inspired by the world around her as she attempts to capture a variety of colors, textures, and abnormal perspectives. more

“REMEMBER THE 4TH”: This holiday banner from the 1860s is on display along with a wealth of historical and contemporary photos, educational and archival videos, interactive multimedia, and historical objects during the “Voices And Votes: Democracy In America” traveling exhibit at The Gallery at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor. The exhibit runs through June 20. (Courtesy of the National Museum of American History)

In partnership with the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH), Mercer County Community College (MCCC) is hosting “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America,” a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution, in the Gallery at MCCC through June 20. The Gallery is located on the college’s West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road on the second floor of the Communication building.

The exhibit is presented free to the public and is appropriate for all age groups. More about the exhibit and special programs can be found at mccc.edu/voicesvotes.

Gallery hours for the exhibit are Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Closed on May 28 for Memorial Day weekend.) Dates of note include open hours on MCCC’s Commencement Day, May 20; Future Voters Day on June 4; and A Tribute to John Watson on June 17.

Among other partners in the MCCC project are the New Jersey League of Women Voters and the Citizens Campaign through the Trenton Civic Trustees.  more

“THIRD THURSDAYS”: The monthly photography presentation and artist talk series at Mercer County Community College’s James Kerney Campus Gallery in Trenton will take place on May 19 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This month features works by Aaron Turner and Wendel White. The public is invited in person or via Zoom. Reservations are required at JKCGallery.online.

“Third Thursdays,” the free monthly photography presentation and artist talk series at Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC’s) James Kerney Campus Gallery (JKCG) at 137 North Broad Street in Trenton, will take place May 19 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event, curated by Heather Palecek and Habiyb Shu’Aib, will feature work by Aaron Turner and Wendel White. Hosted by Director of the JKC Gallery, Michael Chovan-Dalton, the talk will take place live and on Zoom. All are invited to register at jkcgallery.online.

Chovan-Dalton said, “This will be the final Third Thursdays for this semester at JKC Gallery and I am pleased to present two artists who have shared their work with us in a solo show. We look forward to welcoming Wendel White and Aaron Turner on May 19.”

Turner is a photographer and educator currently based in Arkansas. He focuses on photography as a transformative process to understand the ideas of home and resilience in the Arkansas and Mississippi Deltas. He also creates still-life photography in the studio environment on the topics of identity, history, and blackness as material and abstraction.

Turner originally pursued a career as a photojournalist working for newspapers but was eventually drawn to photography as an art form. more

WORLD PREMIERE: A work by composer Rollo Dilworth is on the program when the Princeton Boychoir performs on Saturday, May 14 at Trinity Church.

Princeton Boychoir’s fifth anniversary season will culminate with a gala concert, “Brothers, Sing On!” on Saturday, May 14, 7 p.m. at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street. Audiences will hear selections from all three choirs that make up the training and performance choir for boys.

The highlight of the evening will be the world premiere of a newly commissioned choral work by conductor and composer Rollo Dilworth. A new arrangement of the spiritual “Ev’rything’s Gonna Be Alright,” the piece captures the feelings of hope the choir feels moving forward out of the pandemic and into the future. more

WILLY WONKA AND FRIENDS: The cast of Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” on stage at the State Theatre New Jersey May 13-15.

State Theatre New Jersey presents Roald Dahl’s Charlie and The Chocolate Factory for four performances on Friday, May 13 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 14 at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m.

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and The Chocolate Factory tells the story of Willy Wonka, world-famous inventor of the Everlasting Gobstopper, who has just made an astonishing announcement. His mysterious factory is opening its gates, to a lucky few. That includes young Charlie Bucket, whose life definitely needs sweetening. He and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a life-changing journey through Wonka’s world of pure imagination.  more

STOPPING AT THE STATE: Kenny Wayne Shepherd brings his Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band to the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on May 20.

The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band will stop at State Theatre New Jersey on Friday, May 20 at 8 p.m. as part of their U.S. tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of Trouble Is… with special guest Samantha Fish. The band will perform Trouble Is… in its entirety. Tickets range from $34.50-$100.  more

Ballets set to music of Igor Stravinsky are a highlight of the New York City Ballet’s current season at the David Koch Theatre in Lincoln Center. George Balanchine’s “Symphony in Three Movements,” created during the original Stravinsky Festival 50 years ago, is among the works through May 15. Additional works by Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are being performed, along with premieres by Justin Peck, Silas Farley, Pam Tanowitz, and Jamar Roberts. The season ends with a week of Balanchine’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” May 21-29. Visit nycb.com for tickets.

“BASKET OF DAHLIAS: This oil painting by Elizabeth Robbins is featured in “A Brush Above the Rest,” on view May 14 through June 30 at Highlands Art Gallery in Lambertville. The opening reception weekend is May 14 and 15 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Highlands Art Gallery, located at 41 North Union Street in Lambertville, is hosting its first art show opening in over a year due to COVID-19. The opening reception weekend for “A Brush Above The Rest” is May 14 and 15 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibit is on view through June 30.

“A Brush Above the Rest”  features a wide variety of subject matter from many gallery artists, including Tina Garrett, Michael Godfrey, Cindy Baron, Paula Holtzclaw, Joseph Orr, John Pototschnik, Jason Tako, Lili Anne Laurin, Elizabeth Robbins, Susan Blackwood, Howard Friedland, and Kenn Backhaus.

Backhaus and Baron will be painting informally during the weekend. For more information, call (908) 766-2720, email at info@highlandsartgallery.com, or visit highlandsartgallery.com.

ACP BOWL PROJECT: The fundraiser on Saturday, May 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. will offer one-of-a-kind handmade bowls created by artists in the Arts Council of Princeton’s Ceramic Studio. The first 50 buyers will receive a free scoop of ice cream from the bent spoon.

Join the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) for The ACP Bowl Project on Saturday, May 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and purchase one-of-a-kind handmade bowls. Artists in the ACP Ceramic Studio have created unique ceramic bowls, available for $30 each. All proceeds benefit the Arts Council of Princeton, helping to support year-round outreach programs and community events.

The first 50 buyers will receive a voucher for a free scoop of ice cream from the bent spoon. Bowls are first-come, first-served while supplies last.

This outdoor sale will take place on the Arts Council of Princeton’s terrace at 102 Witherspoon Street. For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.