July 24, 2024

“Table Talk Histories” Program Previews Changes at Washington Crossing Park

VISION FOR THE FUTURE: A rendering from Ikon5 Architects of the new Museum and Visitors Center that is among Washington Crossing Park Association’s preparations for the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. (Rendering courtesy of WCPA)

By Anne Levin

With the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence less than two years away, parks, museums, and historic sites related to the 1776 proclamation are busy planning for celebratory events. Among them is the Washington Crossing Park Association (WCPA), which has some major capital improvements on the drawing board, including a new Museum and Visitors center.

A presentation on those plans is part of “Table Talk Histories,” taking place Sunday, July 28 starting at 1 p.m. at the Park’s Sullivan Grove Pavilion, near the current Visitors Center Museum, in Titusville. Preceding the talk about the museum, local historians and reenactors will be at different tables, each with images and objects focused on a different topic. Among them: Black soldiers during the Revolution, the integrated unit known as the Marbleheaders, smallpox inoculation and treatment in the 1700s, ferry boat operations on the Delaware River, and the Swan Historical Foundation’s collection of Revolutionary War artifacts. more

Student Filmmakers in This Year’s Festival Are at Impressively Higher Level

BUDDING AUTEURS: Films such as “Tomorrow & Forever” by Justin O’Neill are among the entries at the 2024 Princeton Student Film Festival, taking place at Princeton Public Library on July 31.

By Anne Levin

It has been just over two decades since Princeton Public Library debuted its Princeton Student Film Festival (PSFF), screening the works of high school and college students from across the local area, throughout the U.S., and abroad. In that time, entries have gotten increasingly creative and sophisticated.

“This year, we’ve definitely seen some budding auteurs,” said Megan McCafferty, the youth services library associate and the coordinator of the festival, which takes place on Wednesday, July 31 at 6 p.m. “These are films that demonstrate such a strong artistic vision, from the opening title card to the closing credits. I think these young filmmakers are already thinking of branding themselves as creative people, which is really smart to do.” more

Hemingway at 125 — Don’t Give Up and Don’t Forget to Dance

By Stuart Mitchner

Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.

—Ernest Hemingway, from The Old Man and the Sea

Don’t give up, don’t let it get you down,” my 48-year-old son told me when he saw that I was depressed by the post-Biden-debate news cycle. That was before Sunday when the president finally did what he had to do. If nothing else, maybe the media will shut up about how old he is, stop gaslighting his every move, and give him some breathing room.

I’ve been thinking about “don’t” songs. When I promised my son not to let the polls get me down, I thought of John Lennon singing “Don’t Let Me Down.” A friend says “Don’t forget to write,” and my inner jukebox clicks into action, playing “Don’t Forget to Dance,” a song from the early 1980s by the Kinks. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” would make a great campaign anthem for either party this year except that it’s forever associated with the blackout finale of The Sopranos. Which reminds me of the 1992 Democratic convention and one of the most effective presidential campaign songs ever, Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow).” more

New Jersey Symphony Showcases Rising Composers in “New Scores” Concert

By Nancy Plum

On the 55th anniversary of man landing on the moon, it was fitting that New Jersey Symphony showed Princeton the future of musical composition. As part of its commitment to contemporary works, the Symphony sponsored its annual, weeklong, tuition-free Institute devoted to “enhancing the careers of four emerging composers” who, through in-depth coaching and rehearsals with the Symphony, were able to hone their craft and “move the ball forward” with orchestral music. This year’s culminating Edward T. Cone Composition Institute concert was held last Saturday night at Richardson Auditorium, featuring new pieces exploring a wide range of ideas. Conducted by Christopher Rountree, the performance brought well-deserved attention to four distinctive individuals with clear futures in the performing arts.

Composer Leigha Amick believes that music has the potential to “reflect on both the current and the timeless human experience, to provide grounds for intellectual fascination, and to quench the need for emotional expression.” Her extensive repertory, for both instrumental and vocal ensembles as well as electronics, has been performed nationwide. Amick’s Cascade, inspired by a composition by American Carl Stone for electronics, bagpipes and organ, was built around an altered passacaglia in which the character changed with each of a series of harmonic cycles.  more

Single Tickets Available for Orchestra Concerts

MILESTONE FOR A MAESTRO: Princeton Symphony Orchestra conductor Rossen Milanov celebrates his 60th birthday in the coming concert season. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Symphony Orchestra)

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) box office is now open for the 2024-25 season, which celebrates Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov’s 60th birthday. Guest artists will include violinists Leila Josefowicz and Aubree Oliverson, pianist Orli Shaham, Princeton University’s Performers-in-Residence So Percussion, and pianist Natasha Paremski.

Milanov has programmed favorite works including concertos by Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, and Viet Cuong’s Re(new)al. Beethoven’s Triple Concerto will feature concertmaster Basia Danilow and principal cellist Alistair MacRae with pianist Steven Beck. more

Fiber Art Exhibit at New Hope Arts Center

OPENING NIGHT: Exhibiting fiber artist Sandra Eliot stands by her and other artists’ work during the opening night of “Structures and Constructions in Fiber” at the New Hope Art Center in New Hope, Pa., on June 29. The exhibit is on view through August 18.  (Photo by Dave Garrett)

“Structures and Constructions in Fiber” opened on June 29 and runs through August 18 at the New Hope Arts Center in New Hope, Pa. The juried exhibit features over 80 original, contemporary fiber artworks from more than 30 artists across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Notable artists in various national and international collections include Marilyn Cowhill, Rita Romanova Gekht, Bojana Leznicki, Nelly Kouzmina, Susan Martin-Maffei, Michael Ross, Mary-Ann Sievert, and Katie Truk. For the complete list of participating artists, visit newhopearts.org. more

Call for Art: “95th Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill”

“MARCH AFTERNOON”: A pastel by Donna Ruane Rogers depicting the historic mill where the annual “Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill” has been held for 95 years was selected as this year’s Signature Image. Registration for this year’s show opens on July 28.

Registration for the “95th Juried Art Show at Phillips’ Mill” in New Hope, Pa., opens July 28 and runs through August 25. All submissions must be registered through Smarter Entry during this period and delivered to the mill for in-person jurying on Friday, September 6 or Saturday, September 7. The exhibition will be held at the mill and online, September 21 through October 27, daily from 1 to 5 p.m.

Artists can view and download the show’s prospectus at phillipsmill.org/art/juried-art-show-prospectus. The prospectus outlines a host of details including the link to Smarter Entry, important dates, and guidelines for each of three categories of submissions, as well as tips on photographing your work for best results for the online portion of the show. Note: All artwork must be for sale. more

Hopewell Valley Arts Council Celebrates 10th Anniversary

“HOPEWELL VALLEY STAMPEDE”: A valley-wide public art display of 69 life-size oxen decorated by artists and students in 2014 raised the initial funds for the Hopewell Valley Arts Council. Their initial arrival before decoration is pictured here.

The Hopewell Valley Arts Council is celebrating 10 years since its founding by a group of dedicated volunteers who envisioned a way to involve the community in the arts and support many local artists, a mission that continues to this day.

Over these past 10 years, the HV Arts Council has woven itself into the fabric of the community by being part of the area’s everyday community events and significant cultural celebrations, and creating many of their own public art displays.  more

Doylestown Arts Festival Returns This September

DOYLESTOWN ARTS FESTIVAL: The art and music festival in downtown Doylestown, Pa., returns for its 33rd year on September 7 and 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

The Doylestown Arts Festival will return for its 33rd anniversary this September 7 and 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The festival remains free to attend and is designed to illuminate the region’s ongoing commitment to arts and culture. For two days the historic downtown Doylestown, Pa., streets will be transformed into a lively outdoor marketplace full of art and music from local and regionally recognized creators. more

Getting Inspiration, Big Assist from Younger Sister, PU Alumna Reelick Rowing in U.S. 4 at Olympics

RETURNING TO THE FRAY: Kelsey Reelick, center, competes in the U.S. women’s 4 earlier this year. Reelick, a 2014 Princeton grad and former Tiger women’s open crew star, will be rowing in the U.S. 4 at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. After taking a four-year hiatus from the sport, Reelick returned to rowing to join the U.S. program in 2018 and worked her way up the ranks. (Photo by Row2k, provided courtesy of USRowing)

By Bill Alden

For Kelsey Reelick, earning a spot on the U.S. rowing team for the Paris 2024 Olympics turned out to be a sister act.

Former Princeton University women’s open rowing star Reelick ’14 joined the U.S. program in 2018 after four years in the working world, inspired by the success of younger sister, Erin, also a Tiger rowing standout, on the national stage. more

Exceeding Expectations in Move to Women’s Pro Soccer, Former PU Standout Curry Making Impact for Angel City

MAKING STRIDES: Madison Curry warms up before a recent game with Angel City Football Club of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWASL). Recently graduated Princeton University women’s soccer star defender Curry has made a solid debut for the club this season, playing in 14 games, including making 13 starts. (Photo provided courtesy of Angel City Football Club)

By Justin Feil

Madison Curry hasn’t taken long to exceed expectations at the professional level.

Recently graduated Princeton University women’s soccer star Curry has become the fifth former Tigers player to compete in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) after being selected by Angel City Football Club with the ninth pick of the fourth round. She has played 14 games, including making 13 starts, far more than she ever anticipated already this season.

“It’s been an absolute whirlwind,” said Curry. “I think if you were to ask my expectations at the beginning of the season, it would never be that I would be starting. I was thinking this year would just be a development year for me. To be on the field with the team has been absolutely incredible and incredibly hard in many ways. But I love this team, and I love going to practice every day.” more

Producing Superb Final Season for Williams Men’s Lax, PDS Alum Caputo Enjoyed Some Highlight Moments

SHOOTING STAR: Cal Caputo looks to unload the ball in action this spring during his senior season for the Williams College men’s lacrosse team. Former Princeton Day school standout Caputo led Williams in scoring this spring, tallying 61 points on 44 goals and 17 assists as the Ephs went 9-7. Star attacker Caputo totaled 161 points over his college career as he scored 120 goals with 41 assists. (Photo by Shiv Patel, provided courtesy of Williams College Athletics)

By Bill Alden

Cal Caputo thrust himself into the national spotlight for a day in April after producing a moment of brilliance for the Williams College men’s lacrosse team.

Tallying a flashy over-the-shoulder goal to give Williams a 10-9 triple overtime win against rival Middlebury on April 24, former Princeton Day School standout Caputo’s shot made the ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 Plays of the Day. more

Young Comes Up Big for YSU in Summer Men’s Hoops As It Tops Jefferson Plumbing to Make Playoff Semis

JAM SESSION: Freddy Young Jr. goes in for a dunk in action earlier this season in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Last Monday, Young scored 19 points to help second-seeded YSU defeat seventh-seeded Jefferson Plumbing 68-51 in a quarterfinal matchup as the league playoffs got underway. The quarterfinals will wrap up on July 24 when ninth-seeded SpeedPro plays top-seeded Princeton Supply and third-seeded Lob City faces sixth-seeded J. Majeski Foundation at the Community Park courts. The semifinals are slated for July 26 at the CP courts, starting at 7:30 p.m. The opener of the league’s best-of-three championship series is scheduled for July 29 at 8 p.m. at CP. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Freddy Young Jr. led the way as second-seeded YSU defeated seventh-seeded Jefferson Plumbing 68-51 last Monday in a quarterfinal matchup as the playoffs got underway in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League.

Former Princeton Day School and Trenton Catholic standout guard Young tallied 19 points and another former PDS star, Ethan Garita, chipped in 15 as YSU improved to 7-2. Charlie Gillikin scored 20 points for Jefferson Plumbing in a losing cause. more

July 17, 2024

Among the Blueberries

Blueberry picking was one of the many activities at Terhune Orchards’ annual Blueberry Bash last weekend. Attendees share their favorite way to enjoy blueberries in this week’s Town Talk on Page 6. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

ICE Activity in Princeton Provokes Strong Responses

By Donald Gilpin

The presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Princeton last Wednesday, July 10, including the arrest of one resident, has caused high levels of concern among residents and government officials at the local and state levels.

Whether it was a “targeted operation,” as designated by ICE officials, or a “raid,” as described by many locals, agents in ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Newark division arrived early on the morning of July 10 in unmarked cars.

“I am horrified to learn of the ICE raids carried out in Princeton today, by agents who did not identify themselves, drove into communities, and stopped Hispanic/Latinx residents seemingly at random to interrogate them and demand documentation,” said U.S. Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman in a July 10 statement. “This kind of conduct has absolutely no place in our community or our country.” more

Bucchere to Retire as Chief of Police, Tash to Replace Him

By Anne Levin

Jonathan Bucchere, Princeton’s police chief for the past two years, will retire at the end of this month. Subject to approval by the mayor and Council — likely at the July 22 Council meeting — his replacement will be current Captain Christopher Tash, who, like Bucchere is a longtime member of the Princeton Police Department (PPD).

“I’ve worked my entire career with Chris Tash, and I absolutely know he is going to do a spectacular job as chief,” said Bucchere. “It gives me great joy that he is going to take over and continue to do special things for this town, his way.” more

PHS Junior Claire Tang Branches Out as World Literacy Youth Ambassador

BOOKS FOR BOTSWANA: Claire Tang, left, Princeton High School junior and recently appointed World Literacy Foundation youth ambassador, and her classmate Emma Liu stand with boxes of books about to be shipped to a school in Botswana for an African library book drive they helped to organize. (Photo courtesy of Claire Tang)

By Donald Gilpin

As a newly appointed World Literacy Foundation youth ambassador for 2024, Princeton High School junior Claire Tang will be continuing her work to combat illiteracy and increase education and awareness about the importance of reading and writing.

“Reading has always been one of my biggest hobbies, so I’ve experienced the positive impact literacy can have on quality of life,” Tang wrote in an email. Last year she worked with the African Library Project (ALP) and the Alliance of Youth Leaders in the United States (AYLUS) to organize two book drives that supported libraries in Malawi and Botswana, resulting in more than 2,500 books delivered and $2,000 raised.

In partnership with her classmate Emma Liu, Tang is working on another book drive this summer with AYLUS and ALP to support a secondary school library in Lesotho.

As a youth ambassador in the year ahead, she plans to continue her work with ALP and AYLUS while branching out into additional literacy challenges locally and globally. more

Concert Culminates Weeklong Program for Participants in Composition Institute

NEW MUSIC: The 10th annual Cone Composition Institute Concert brings the music of four emerging composers, played by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, to Richardson Auditorium on Saturday, July 20. Pictured here are the participants in a past Institute program.

By Anne Levin

In the first year of the Edward T. Cone Composition Institute’s one-week summer program pairing promising composers with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) at Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium, 30 people applied for the four available slots.

That was a decade ago. Applications for this year’s session, which is underway and will culminate in a concert on Saturday evening at 8 p.m., numbered more than 200. The reputation of the Institute, which is presented in collaboration with the University’s music department, has clearly grown.  more

PU Mathematician, Institute Physicist Awarded Prestigious Wolf Prizes

By Donald Gilpin

Noga Alon
(Photo by Sameer A. Khan)

Princeton University Professor Noga Alon has been awarded the 2024 Wolf Prize in Mathematics “for pioneering contributions to mathematical cryptography, combinatorics, and the theory of computer science.” And the 2024 Wolf Prize in Physics has been presented to Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) Trustee Emeritus Martin Rees, for his “fundamental contributions to high-energy astrophysics, galaxies and structure formation, and cosmology.”

Considered one of the most prestigious international awards for scientific and artistic achievement, the Wolf Prize, granted in Israel, includes a $100,000 monetary award. More than one-third of Wolf Prize recipients have gone on to receive a Nobel Prize, according to the Wolf Foundation.

A Princeton University press release describes Alon, who shares the mathematics award with Adi Shamir of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, as “one of the most prolific mathematicians in the world,” having published more than 850 papers, including papers on biology, economics, and neuroscience. In addition to his position at Princeton University, Alon has also been “a regular fixture” at IAS as a member and visitor in the School of Mathematics since 1993, according to an IAS press release. more

Arts Council’s ART OF Series Continues with Latest Roster of Fundraisers

MIXING IT UP: Last January’s “ART OF Mixology” at the Arts Council of Princeton was such a success that a second round has been scheduled for July 31, as part of the ART OF series of fundraising events.

By Anne Levin

When the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) was planning its annual big fundraiser two years ago, staff members came up with an idea for something more affordable and inclusive. Instead of the standard gala party, they decided to try a series of participatory gatherings covering a range of topics — from the difference between French and Spanish wines to making perfect holiday wreaths.

That first series was a success. Since then, some 30 ART OF events have been held by the ACP. The latest batch begins July 31 with part two of “Mixology with 3BR Distillery,” a cocktail-crafting session back by popular demand. Following throughout the fall are “Matcha with Ooika,” “Vintage Jewelry with H1912,” “NJ Farming and the Future,” a trip to see the Broadway show Hell’s Kitchen, “Thriving in a Toxic World with Melissa Klepacki,” “Holiday Magic with Francisco Irala,” and “Thrifting, a Journey to the Golden Nugget Flea Market.”  more

Playing the Name Game with Freud, Biden, and Trump

By Stuart Mitchner

(…what interrupts our concentration as readers may be as telling as the book we are reading: Freud is always making the case for interruption). We make a Freudian slip when we thought we knew what we were saying. We dream beyond the bounds of intelligibility….

—From Becoming Freud

Why Freud and why now?” That is the question. After a lifetime of relative indifference to most things Freudian, it’s taken the attempted assassination of a former president plus the massive media freak-out inspired by the current president’s shabby debate performance and slip-of-the-tongue doubleheader to send me to Adam Phillips’s Becoming Freud: The Making Of a Psychoanalyst (Yale University Press) and the Gutenberg text of The Psychopathology of Everyday Life translated by A.A. Brill.

Meanwhile we have this week’s “telling” interruption in the form of the All-Star game and the Republican National Convention, held in the aftermath of Saturday’s game-changing event while I’m still gamely trying to find a place in the psychopathology of everyday baseball life for Biden’s Freudian slips. Talking heads on CNN and MSNBC have already begun portraying the president as a veteran pitcher whose late-inning moment has come as the manager walks out to the mound to take the ball and bring in the closer. Except by now everybody knows Biden intends to finish the game and there’s no manager and no closer. more

Princeton Summer Theater Succeeds with “The Last Five Years”; Musical Depicts a Couple’s Breakup Through Unique Viewpoints

“THE LAST FIVE YEARS”: Performances are underway for Princeton Summer Theater’s production of “The Last Five Years.” Written and composed by Jason Robert Brown and directed by Eliyana Abraham, the musical runs through July 21 at Princeton University’s Hamilton Murray Theater. Above: Events leading to the estrangement between Cathy Hiatt (Kate Short) and Jamie Wellerstein (Julien Alam) are told from dual perspectives — Jamie’s story is told in chronological order, while Cathy’s tale moves backward in time. (Photo by John Venegas Juarez)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

The Last Five Years is an intimate, poignant musical that depicts a married couple’s gradual estrangement.

The story, songs, and script for the mostly sung-through musical are by Jason Robert Brown. The story is inspired by Brown’s first marriage. Brown carefully describes the subject matter of The Last Five Years (2001) as “personal” (rather than “autobiographical”).

A unique narrative device is employed. For the husband, a successful author, events are seen in chronological order, starting just after the couple meets. For the wife, a struggling actress, the story begins after the breakup, moving backward in time.

This concept recalls Merrily We Roll Along, a musical (adapted from a play) that portrays three friends who grow apart, telling their story in reverse chronological order. The Last Five Years takes the idea a step further; by telling the story in both directions, the characters’ timelines are allowed to intersect once, in a central scene.

 more

Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts Presents Chamber Ensemble of Established Soloists 

By Nancy Plum

Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts continued its 2024 season this past week with a presentation by three instrumentalists who have put their collective talents together to create an exciting new experience for their audiences. Violinist Friedemann Eichorn, cellist Peter Hörr, and pianist Florian Uhlig each have had successful international solo careers and have joined forces in the past five years to explore chamber repertory as the Phaeton Piano Trio. Named for a mythological character but performing with solid down-to-earth musicianship, the Trio came to Richardson Auditorium last Monday night for an evening of Franz Joseph Haydn, Felix Mendelssohn, and Antonin Dvorák. The ensemble may be relatively new, but its playing style is rooted in centuries-old performance practice and interpretation of the classics. more

New Jersey Lyric Opera Returns to Kelsey Theatre

SUMMER OPERA: New Jersey Lyric Opera returns to Kelsey Theatre for the Summer Opera Festival July 26-28, opening with the Verdi classic “Rigoletto.”

New Jersey Lyric Opera (NJLO) performs at Mercer County Community College’s Kelsey Theatre for a second year with a weekend of opera favorites on MCCC’s West Windsor Campus, July 26-28, during the Summer Opera Festival. The weekend includes the presentation of three operas, plus the Gala Spectacular, a showcase of opera favorites.

The opera weekend kicks off with Rigoletto (Friday, July 26, 7:30 p.m.), the tragic story of the unprincipled Duke of Mantua, his hunch-backed court jester Rigoletto, and Rigoletto’s daughter Gilda. It’s a cautionary tale of love and jealousy, with famous melodies La donna è mobile and Caro Nome. The performance stars Christopher Connelly, Amanda Simms, and John Villemaire. more

Christmas in July

“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” at the State Theatre in New Brunswick is among the productions coming to area theaters during the winter holidays. Special offers are available for discounted tickets in advance to see “The Muppet Christmas Carol with New Jersey Symphony,” “The Nutcracker,” “An Evening with Chevy Chase” following a screening of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” and “A Magical Cirque Christmas,” all at the State Theatre, as well as “A Christmas Carol” at McCarter Theatre. Visit Mccarter.org or STNJ.org.