(PRINCETON, NJ) -- On Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 7:30pm, GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright takes the McCarter stage for one night only with the Princeton Playhouse Sinfonia, a dynamic new collaborative ensemble created specifically for this concert.
The ensemble brings together student musicians from Princeton University's Sinfonia, directed by Ruth Ochs, and the Princeton Playhouse Orchestra, directed by Solon Snider Sway, alongside members of the Princeton Jazz Ensembles and local professional musicians.
With more than 40 musicians on stage, the concert represents one of the most ambitious collaborations between university arts programs and McCarter in terms of number of students, distinct programs and communities involved (40+ piece orchestra, ensembles from the Princeton Department of Music and the Lewis Center for the Arts, plus professional musicians.)
It gives students a rare opportunity to rehearse and perform with one of today's great song interpreters, while bringing together musicians from across the University and the wider community. The evening will feature selections from Wainwright's Want One, Want Two, and Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall, offering audiences a chance to experience both his celebrated songwriting and his acclaimed interpretations of Judy Garland.
Tickets range from $70-$149 and are available for purchase online. McCarter Theatre is located at 91 University Place in Princeton, New Jersey. The performance is part of WXPN Welcomes.
The concert is part of McCarter's Arts & Ideas initiative, which connects Princeton University scholarship and campus life with McCarter's artistic programming.
"Our collaborations with Princeton University bring the creative life of the campus onto the McCarter stage, and this concert does that on a scale we've never tried before. Putting an orchestra of student and professional musicians under one of the great song interpreters of our time, is a gift to our audience: they get Rufus's Garland and they meet the next generation of players, all in one night. Rufus is thrilled too. Of all the stops on this farewell run, this is the only one where he'll share the stage with a super-orchestra built just for him. That makes Princeton's night one of a kind," said McCarter's Debbie Bisno, Director of University and Artistic Partnerships and Paula Abreu, Director of Presented Programming.
Praised by Sir Elton John as "the greatest songwriter on the planet," Wainwright is known for his singular voice, emotional range, and work across pop, opera, musical theater, and the concert stage.
Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall is Wainwright's loving recreation of Judy Garland's celebrated 1961 comeback concert. It premiered at Carnegie Hall in 2006 and earned Wainwright his first GRAMMY nomination, for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. The production has since been performed at venues around the world, including the London Palladium, Hollywood Bowl, Paris' L'Olympia, and Toronto's Luminato Festival.
Wainwright's albums Want One and Want Two have also earned widespread recognition. Want One was named Paste magazine's No. 1 album of the year, and Rolling Stone included it among its top five albums of 2003. David Bowie called Wainwright's "Dinner at Eight" the best father-son song he knew. More than two decades after their release, the songs have been given new life through orchestral arrangements by Sally Herbert (Woodkid, Florence + the Machine) and Max Moston (Antony and the Johnsons).
McCarter is one of the country’s flagship theaters and a vibrant center for community and the performing arts. Located on the campus of Princeton University, the company is an independent nonprofit, serving as a nationally renowned, multi-disciplinary creative hub for arts and ideas, offering theatre, music, dance, spoken word, and educational programs for all ages.
A two-time Tony Award winner, McCarter’s legacy of artistic excellence dates back to its first performances in 1930. Our Town, You Can’t Take It with You, and Bus Stop all premiered at McCarter, paving the way for a long history of launching remarkable works that have gone on to tens of thousands of performances worldwide.
The company is equally revered for presenting global artists on its stages, including Yo-Yo Ma, Samara Joy, Hasan Minhaj, Jon Stewart, Caetano Veloso, Rhiannon Giddens, Patti Smith, Esperanza Spalding, Lake Street Dive, and Herbie Hancock. Of the 100,000 community members who engage with McCarter each year, more than 5,000 are students participating in educational programs in Princeton, Trenton, and schools across the region. McCarter leads with values of justice, joy, and beauty in belonging—creating a space where artists and audiences can come together to celebrate the power of live performance.
Thursday, Nov 12, 2026
@ 7:00pm
Princeton Art Museum
Princeton, NJ
There are multiple performances including:
Friday, Nov 13, 2026
@ 8:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
Princeton, NJ
Tuesday, Nov 17, 2026
@ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
Princeton, NJ
Thursday, Nov 19, 2026
@ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
Princeton, NJ
There are multiple performances including:
Friday, Nov 20, 2026
@ 8:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre)
Princeton, NJ
