NUTCRACKER MEMORIES: Snowflakes in George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker,^“ 1954. (Photo by Frederick Melton. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.)

“Winter Wonderland: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker” is the title of an exhibition currently on view via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts’ website, nypl.org. The show, which is online only, tells the story of the 70-year-old holiday classic choreographed for the New York City Ballet by George Balanchine.

While The Nutcracker is today an annual event performed by ballet companies across the globe, it was not an immediate success when Balanchine debuted his version in 1954. But when a televised and narrated version brought the work into people’s homes across America in 1958, a classic was born. more

Rossen Milanov
(Photo by PSO staff)

The centerpiece of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s (PSO) 2024-25 season is the upcoming celebration of Music Director Rossen Milanov’s 60th birthday at concerts held at Richardson Auditorium on January 11 and 12.

Designated as the season’s Edward T. Cone Concert, the program consists of Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto with Leila Josefowicz as soloist and Tchaikovsky’s rarely heard Manfred Symphony.

“I’m thrilled to collaborate creatively again with my friend, the superb violinist Leila Josefowicz, and I am celebrating my birthday by conducting two works among my favorites in the orchestral repertoire,” said Milanov. “I’m Slavic by birth, so when it comes to conducting works by these great composers, I feel deeply connected to the music.” more

JP Coletta

Following some weekend performances of A Christmas Carol at McCarter Theatre, a “show after the show” will take place in the Lockwood Lobby.

Actor/musician JP Coletta, a member of the cast, will perform holiday music and take audience requests on Friday and Saturday, December 20 and 21 and 27 and 28. On Fridays, the music starts at 10 p.m. and bars stay open until 11 p.m. On Saturdays, the music starts at 8 p.m. and the bars are open until 9 p.m.

Coletta is a New York City-based actor and musician with credits including A Charlie Brown Christmas, Million Dollar Quartet, White Christmas, Sweeney Todd, and more. He is also the creator and star of Rock n’ Roll Piano Man, a theatrical concert celebrating the history of the piano in rock ‘n’ roll.

A Christmas Carol runs through December 29. Visit mccarter.org or call (609) 258-2787 for tickets.

On May 2, 2025, hundreds of young artists and performers will have the opportunity to experience the Mercer County Teen Arts Festival. This annual festival provides high school and middle school students from Mercer County’s public, private, parochial, and independent schools the opportunity for a day of full arts immersion at the West Windsor campus of Mercer County Community College.

“For many students across Mercer, the Teen Arts Festival is one of the highlights of the year,” said County Executive Dan Benson. “We’re excited to offer another opportunity for students to come together to learn, hone their talents, and grow as artists.” more

HAPPY NEW YEAR: The annual concert celebrating New Year’s Eve at Trenton’s Patriots Theater at the War Memorial is a Capital Philharmonic tradition. Sebastian Grand conducts. (Photo by James Beaver)

The Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey presents its annual New Year’s Eve concert at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton, starting at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31.

Preceding the concert at 7:10 p.m., Brett Miller gives a recital on the theater’s organ. Sebastian Grand conducts the concert, which includes Leonard Bernstein’s overture to Candide, a Strauss waltz, music from cinema, and Gershwin’s Strike Up the Band. more

On Saturday, January 11 at 8 p.m., State Theatre New Jersey presents “Croce Plays Croce — The Jim Croce Birthday Bash.” Tickets range from $29 to $99.

A.J. Croce performs this special night of music featuring a complete set of classics by his late father Jim Croce, some of his tunes, and songs that influenced him and his father. Such songs as “Operator,” “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” “Time in a Bottle” (a song written for A.J.), “Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy),” and “Lovers Cross,” are among those on the program. Classic covers may include songs by Lieber and Stoller, Bessie Smith, and other folk and roots artists.

A.J. Croce, a Billboard charting singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, taught himself guitar and several of his father’s classics, debuting with a concert that celebrated the legacy of his father’s songs, stories, and music, as well as his own. That show featured two generations of Croce music and many songs by other artists which connect father and son as performers. more

Ayana Mathis
(Photo by Beowolf Sheehan)

Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts has announced the selection of five Mary Mackall Gwinn Hodder Fellows for the 2025-26 academic year. This year’s recipients include sculptor Carlos Agredano, performing and visual artist Satoshi Haga, novelist Ayana Mathis, composer Peter Shin, and playwright Catherine Yu.

“The Lewis Center is thrilled to welcome this impressive and diverse cohort of Hodder Fellows, and to express our enduring gratitude to Mrs. Hodder for making their time with us possible,” said Lewis Center Chair Judith Hamera in making the announcement. “These inventive and rigorous artists challenge our perceptions of foundational issues, from the seeming solidities and histories of urban infrastructures and personal beliefs to the ephemeralities of belonging and connection. We look forward to the insights, new ideas, and collaborations they will bring to us in their fellowship period.”

Hodder Fellows may be writers, composers, choreographers, visual artists, performance artists, or other kinds of artists or humanists who demonstrate, as the program outlines, “much more than ordinary intellectual and literary gifts.” Artists from anywhere in the world may apply in the early fall each year for the following academic year. Past Hodder Fellows have included novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, painter Mario Moore, poet Natalie Diaz, choreographer Okwui Okpokwasili, playwrights Lauren Yee and Martyna Majok, and Zimbabwean gwenyambira (mbira player), composer, and singer Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa.  more

POP-UP ACTIVATION: Colette Fu’s work “Noodle Mountain” will be opened on Saturday, December 28 at 12 p.m. at Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton, followed by an artist talk. (Photo by David Michael Howarth Photography)

On Saturday, December 28 from 12 to 12:30 p.m., artist Colette Fu will open the pop-up book Noodle Mountain, followed by a short artist talk, in the Domestic Arts Building at Grounds For Sculpture where a portion of the ‘Slow Motion” exhibition is located.

Noodle Mountain contemplates deeply personal memories, as well as the intergenerational histories of place, labor, and diaspora that food can conjure. Future activation dates include March 22 at, at 1 p.m. and May 17 at 12 p.m. more

On January 14 at 6 p.m., the Princeton Public Library will host “Eco-Art Revolution: Creativity Meets Sustainability,” a panel discussion featuring three distinguished artists from the Princeton area: Susan Hoenig, Mary Waltham, and Karen Tuveson. The event will be moderated by Mic Diño Boekelmann, a multidisciplinary artist and eco-advocate.

An engaging discussion will explore how these artists ensure their creative processes are eco-friendly and aligned with sustainable practices. From the thoughtful selection of materials to innovative techniques, the panelists are united by their commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of their work while fostering meaningful connections between art and sustainability.

Through personal stories and professional insights, the panelists will share their journeys of adopting green practices, overcoming challenges, and influencing both the art world and environmental advocacy. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of how sustainable art can inspire change and contribute to a greener future without compromising creativity. more

“CARP SWIMMING” Painter Kyoko Bartley, whose work is shown here, is the featured speaker for the “Inside the Artists’ Studio” event on Saturday, December 21 at 4:30 p.m. at Princeton Makes in the Princeton Shopping Center.

On Saturday, December 21 at 4:30 p.m., painter Kyoko Bartley will be the featured speaker for the “Inside the Artist’s Studio” series at Princeton Makes in the Princeton Shopping Center. Bartley, a Japanese-born artist based near Princeton, specializes in a diverse range of art forms in various mediums, including traditional Japanese motifs, animal art, and hyper-realistic drawings.

Bartley is particularly known for her vibrant “Red Fuji” paintings, symbolizing good fortune and success, as well as her detailed depictions of animals, such as pet portraits and her “Princeton Black Squirrels” series, beloved in her local community. Her art has found homes with collectors worldwide.

She will discuss her artistic journey and how New Jersey inspires her work. “New Jersey was where I realized how my Japanese background became a unique strength,” said Bartley. “Living in America has given me a new, objective perspective on Japan, allowing me to see my heritage through fresh eyes.”  more

This work by Mike Benevenia is featured in ‘When the Land Calls,” on view at D&R Greenway Land Trust’s Marie L. Matthews Gallery, 1 Preservation Place, through February 28. For more information, visit drgreenway.org.