originally published: 05/03/2026
Dr. Rochelle Ellis striking a dramatic pose and soprano Emily Margevich
(PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ) -- On Friday, May 8, 2026 at 4:00pm, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) presents Music That Tells a Story, a free event for anyone who has ever dreamed of being an opera star. The presentation will take place at Westrick Music Academy (231 Clarksville Road, Suite 8) in Princeton Junction.
Hosted by the Princeton Festival Guild, this engaging workshop will give attendees the chance to experience singing in the operatic style. Princeton University voice professor Dr. Rochelle Ellis and soprano Emily Margevich, a Company Artist with OperaDelaware, will cover the difference between singing for Broadway and opera. Singers of all ages and ability levels are welcome to come to watch and participate.
Participants will be eligible to enter to win two free tickets to Puccini's Madama Butterfly, June 12 & 14 at the Princeton Festival, and an upcoming Westrick Music Academy Concert this season!
The Music That Tells a Story series, founded in 2015, became a PSO BRAVO! education program in 2025, and honors the legacy of long-time Princeton Festival supporter Takako Lento. Music That Tells a Story was created to expand audience appreciation of and interest in operas presented during the Princeton Symphony Orchestra's annual Princeton Festival by offering free public workshops, lectures, and similar events. Presentations ranged from "Opera 101" introductions to the genre to "Opera Bootcamp," a five-hour immersion combining vocal instruction with in-depth opera discussions, plus back-stage tour and observation of a rehearsal.
In December 2025, the Park Lento Charitable Fund established the "Takako Lento Music That Tells a Story Fund" with a foundational gift of $200,000 to endow the program in perpetuity. Together with an additional major gift from Thomas V. Lento, this fund will generate ongoing operational funding for these activities and will allow the PSO to expand the scope of the program to explore other genres of music beyond Opera. The Lentos and PSO welcome contributions to the Fund. Call (609) 497-0020 for information.
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.
You can have your events spotlighted here, whenever someone reads an article about PRINCETON JUNCTION
click here for more information
EVENT PREVIEWS
bergenPAC presents Six-Time Tony Award (R) Winner Audra McDonald on May 3rd
(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Six-time Tony Award® winner Audra McDonald will play a one-night-only concert at bergenPAC (Bergen Performing Arts Center) on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 7:00pm.
Acclaimed Organist Chelsea Chen to Perform Solo Recital Concert at Christ Church in Short Hills on May 3rd
(SHORT HILLS, NJ) -- Christ Church in Short Hills will present a solo concert recital by internationally acclaimed organist, Chelsea Chen, on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 4:00pm. The special concert will feature a selection of traditional organ compositions along with contemporary music.
T.K. Blue to Celebrate Randy Weston's 100th Birthday at Jersey Jazz LIVE! Concert in Madison
(MADISON, NJ) -- In the history of jazz, no American musician's career has been more interconnected with the continent of Africa than that of the great pianist and composer Randy Weston. Weston, whose centennial birthday was celebrated on April 6, 2026, was a giant, not only as a creative and spiritual force, but standing six feet, seven inches, an imposing figure in the venues at which he performed throughout the world.
The New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra to present a program Honoring the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra will perform at the Zimmerli Art Museum on Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 2:00pm. The program will honor the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Outpost in the Burbs presents Willie Nile Band on Sunday
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Outpost in the Burbs presents Willie Nile Band on Sunday, May 3, 2026. The New York Times once called Buffalo, NY born Willie Nile "one of the most gifted singer-songwriters to emerge from the New York scene in years." Jersey City based artist Debra Devi will open the night.
Lily Vakili to Celebrate Release of "Live Wire" EP on Wednesday
(NEW YORK, NY) -- Lily Vakili will celebrate the release of her Live Wire EP on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at The Francis Kite Club. Doors are at 8:00pm; Showtime is 8:30pm.
RVCC Student Jazz Ensemble to Perform May 7th
(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Raritan Valley Community College's (RVCC) Student Jazz Ensemble will perform in concert Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 7:30pm. The concert will be held in the Welpe Theatre at the College's Branchburg campus. The group is directed by RVCC faculty member Jeremy Sweet.
The Lovin' Spoonful to Perform in Newton
(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Lovin' Spoonful will perform at The Newton Theatre on Friday, May 8, 2026 at 8:00pm. They were America's answer to the Beatles! The band, led by John Sebastian, Steve Boone, Joe Butler and Zal Yanovsky, exploded onto the charts sending their first 7 singles soaring onto Billboard's top-10 charts virtually overnight.
Barrymore Film Center presents Ann Talman: Elizabeth Taylor and the Shadow of Her Smile
(FORT LEE, NJ) -- Ann Talman brings her award-winning show Ann Talman: Elizabeth Taylor and The Shadow of Her Smile to the Barrymore Film Center on Friday, May 8, 2026 at 7:30pm. Ann joined Actors' Equity with co-star Elizabeth Taylor in 1981 when she landed the plum role in The Little Foxes playing Miss Taylor's daughter on Broadway. The Little Foxes traveled the world for eighteen months including six months in London and their loving friendship lasted for the rest of Miss Taylor's life.
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center presents Eaglemania on May 8th
(CARTERET, NJ) -- Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center presents Eaglemania on Friday, May 8, 2026 at 8:00pm. EagleMania has been dazzling audiences for over a decade by spectacularly reproducing the music of the Eagles.
MORE EVENTS
Click on the listing to bring up its webpage
