(WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- New Jersey Lyric Opera returns to Kelsey Theatre for the fourth consecutive year with a weekend of opera favorites on Mercer County Community College's West Windsor Campus, August 28-30, 2026 during the Summer Opera Festival.
The festival weekend features presentations by talented artists from the tri-state region and beyond for a quartet of classics, including Il Trovatore, The Pearl Fishers, Romeo and Juliet, and The Barber of Seville.
The opera weekend kicks off Friday, August 28 at 7:30pm with Il Trovatore, the story of a passionate love triangle with a mysterious curse and a shocking ending, featuring the famous "Anvil Chorus." The performance features Carl Hengen, Chaka Allen of Chicago; Holly Gash of Yardley, Pa.; Alyssa Brode of Chesterbrook, Pa.; and Timothy Kjer.
Day two of the festival begins on Saturday, August 29 at 2:00pm with The Pearl Fishers, an immersive summer ocean story where two mens' vow of eternal friendship is threatened by their love for the soon to be priestess, Leila, featuring the famous Pearl Fisher duet and glimmering soprano arias. Eve Edwards of Schwenksville, Pa.; John Villemaire of Lawrence Township, N.J., Cruz Roger Romero of Lakewood, N.J.; and Ian Joyal are featured.
The second day of the festival continues with Romeo and Juliet, Gounod's telling of Shakespeare's masterpiece of star-crossed love, featuring a stellar cast that includes Samual Keeler of Philadelphia; Natasha Scheuble; Timothy Kjer; Chaka Allen; Alicia Melendez; Ian Joyal; Shannon Lally; Leo Leuci; Cruz Roger Romero of Lakewood, N.J.; Drew Russell Duboff of Cherry Hill, N.J.; Michael Serra; Jenna Simm; and Rebecca Shimer.
The festival concludes on Sunday, August 30 at 2:00pm with a new, fun, laugh-out-loud comedy of Rossini's The Barber of Seville, featuring the famous Figaro aria in a hilarious staging of an opera classic. Featured performers include Devin McGuire, John Villemaire, Chaka Allen, Brittany Morgan,Tristan Cano, Timothy Kjer, Rebecca Shimer of Norristown, Pa., Tim Faulkner of Ewing, N.J., Ian Joyal, Devin McGuire, Sarah Joseph, and Olympia Raine Calkins.
Tickets are $28 per event or $100 for all four, and may be purchased online at KelseyTheatre.org or by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333.
Kelsey Theatre is located on the MCCC campus at 1200 Old Trenton Road in West Windsor Township. The Theater is wheelchair accessible with free parking adjacent to the venue. Assisted listening devices are available upon request.
