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originally published: 05/11/2022 

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) Festival Director Gregory Jon Geehern delves into Derrick Wang’s contemporary opera Scalia/Ginsburg, Benjamin Britten’s comic opera Albert Herring, and Kurt Weill’s sensual The Seven Deadly Sins at talks held at area libraries this month. His's talk, “Operatic Explorations,” provides background and context for these works, which will be performed at the 2022 Princeton Festival, the PSO’s premier summer performing arts program. Geehern is deeply involved with coordinating all the behind-the-scenes aspects of the productions, and will be conducting Scalia/Ginsburg and the Festival Chorus during the June 10-25 extravaganza.

Gregory J. Geehern, D.Mus., is a multi-talented conductor, pianist, baritone, and scholar who has been called a "gifted new presence" for his work with full choirs, opera choruses, and chamber ensembles in repertoire from the Middle Ages to the present day. He is a recent addition to the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s administrative staff, having served as acting artistic director of the Princeton Festival in 2021 following the departure of Richard Tang Yuk. Prior to that, he held the position of assistant to the artistic director for several years and served as assistant conductor and chorus master of Beethoven's Fidelio, Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes, and John Adams' Nixon in China. He also conducted performances of masterworks such as J.S. Bach's cantata Der Herr denket an uns and George Frideric Handel's Dixit Dominus with The Princeton Festival's Baroque Chorus and Orchestra.

Here is the schedule of talks:

Monday, May 23 at 2:00pm at Monroe Township Public Library (4 Municipal Plaza) in Monroe Township, NJ. Made possible by The Monroe Township Cultural Arts Commission in collaboration with the Monroe Township Public Library

Tuesday, May 24 at 7:00pm at Princeton Public Library Community Room (65 Witherspoon Street) in Princeton, NJ. 

 

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Wednesday, May 25 at 6:30pm at Mercer County Public Library Robbinsville Branch (42 Robbinsville Allentown Road) in Robbinsville Township, NJ

Thursday, May 26 at 6:00pm at Mercer County Public Library Lawrence Headquarters Branch (2751 Brunswick Pike) in Lawrenceville, NJ.

The talks are all free and open to the public. Registration is required at the Monroe Township branch. For more information, visit princetonsymphony.org/festival.   

Health and Safety: The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is closely monitoring and adhering to the New Jersey Department of Health’s COVID-19 Requirements. Princeton Festival COVID policies are available on the PSO website at princetonsymphony.org/visit/health-safety.

Accessibility: The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is committed to ensuring all programming is accessible for everyone, working with venues to provide needed services. Contact ADA Coordinator Kitanya Khateri for questions about available services at kkhateri@princetonsymphony.org or 609 497-0020. Note: some services require at least two weeks’ notice to arrange.

Programs, artists, dates, and times are subject to change.

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Founded in 2004, The Princeton Festival has established a strong profile as a multi-faceted, summer performing arts festival attracting people from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. The Festival has a reputation for artistic excellence, for growing the number and variety of its offerings, and for serving an audience of up to 8,000. The Festival promotes life-long learning in the arts, from children to seniors, through performance opportunities for children and young people in the piano competition and opportunities for young emerging professionals to perform principal and supporting roles. The Festival has long-standing partnerships with public libraries and local churches to offer its series of free educational lectures to a wide and diversified community.

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The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is a cultural centerpiece of the Princeton community and one of New Jersey’s finest music organizations, a position established through performances of beloved masterworks, innovative music by living composers, and an extensive network of educational programs offered to area students free of charge. Led by Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov, the PSO presents orchestral, pops, and chamber music programs of the highest artistic quality, supported by lectures and related events that supplement the concert experience. Its flagship summer program The Princeton Festival brings an array of performing arts and artists to Princeton during multiple weeks in June. Through PSO BRAVO!, the orchestra produces wide-reaching and impactful education programs in partnership with local schools and arts organizations that culminate in students attending a live orchestral performance. The PSO receives considerable support from the Princeton community and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, regularly garnering NJSCA’s highest honor. Recognition of engaging residencies and concerts has come from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the PSO’s commitment to new music has been acknowledged with an ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and a Copland Fund Award. The only independent, professional orchestra to make its home in Princeton, the PSO performs at historic Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.

PHOTO: Princeton Festival Director Gregory John Geehern. Photo credit: Princeton Symphony Staff Photo