(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Blue Curtain's free summer concert series continues on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 8:00pm with a performance by trailblazing Puerto Rican cuatrista, singer, and Emmy-nominated composer Fabiola Méndez at the Pettoranello Gardens Amphitheater in Princeton.
A native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, Méndez is known for her masterful command of the cuatro, the island’s national instrument, and for infusing her performances with rich layers of culture, identity, and ancestry. Her original compositions draw from Afro-Caribbean traditions while blending elements of jazz, folk, and contemporary music.
Méndez began playing the cuatro at age six, studied at the Antonio Paoli School of Music, and made history in 2018 as the first student to graduate from Berklee College of Music with the Puerto Rican cuatro as her principal instrument.
Her mission is to celebrate Puerto Rican folk music and collective storytelling through the cuatro. She has performed on prestigious stages including NPR’s Tiny Desk, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and with world-class ensembles such as the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, and Boston Landmarks Orchestra. She has collaborated with Latin music luminaries including Pedro Capó, Andy Montañez, and Danny Rivera.
El Nuevo Día praised her ability to bring the cuatro into the spotlight alongside instruments like the tiple and bordonúa, connecting listeners to Puerto Rico’s rich musical heritage. Her artistry blends tradition with innovation, offering a powerful example of how Latina musicians are expanding the boundaries of contemporary music.
The Blue Curtain 2025 season concludes on July 26 with Elida Almeida, a captivating Cape Verdean singer whose sound fuses Afrobeat, morna, and pop with themes of resilience and migration.
All concerts begin at 8:00pm at the Pettoranello Gardens Amphitheater, located in Community Park North at Route 206 and Mountain Avenue in Princeton, New Jersey. Admission is free, and guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the open-air setting.
In case of rain or extreme heat, performances will move indoors to the Princeton High School Performing Arts Center, located at Franklin Avenue and Walnut Lane.
Blue Curtain, co-sponsored by the Princeton Recreation Department, is a New Jersey nonprofit dedicated to presenting the highest quality culturally diverse music to audiences in the Princeton area.
