November 6, 2024

PU Fund for Irish Studies Presents Illustrated Lecture by Paul Muldoon

IRISH HISTORY IN 10 POEMS: Pultizer Prize-winning poet and longtime Princeton University Professor Paul Muldoon will read from his work on November 15 at an event on the campus. (Photo by Christine Harris)

By Anne Levin

A survey of Irish history, from the Vikings to the Troubles and beyond, is the focus of a reading by Paul Muldoon on Friday, November 15 at the James Stewart Film Theater, 185 Nassau Street. “A History of Ireland in 10 Poems” is a free, illustrated lecture presented by Princeton University’s Fund for Irish Studies.

The event is the latest in the Fund’s 2024-25 series, which will also include conversations with leaders of the Abbey Theater, and readings by authors Colm Toibin, Niall Williams, and Fintan O’Toole. The Fund “affords all Princeton students, and the community at large, a wider and deeper sense of the languages, literatures, drama, visual arts, history, and economics not only of Ireland but of ‘Ireland in the world,’” reads a release from the University’s Lewis Center for the Arts. more

Mixing It Up with Phil Lesh and Ezra Pound on The Day After

By Stuart Mitchner

Writing on Sunday, November 3, I’m trying not to worry about the state of the nation on Wednesday, November 6. The backyard is painted yellow gold with leaves; the bird baths, front and back, are thriving; the new birdfeeders are wildly popular, and we’ve had a month of classic autumn weather — if you don’t count the drought. But I might as well be on “Dover Beach” with Matthew Arnold, the night-wind on my face on a sunny afternoon, the closing lines like one long sentence — “the world which seems to lie before us like a land of dreams, so various, so beautiful, so new, hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, not certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain; and we are here as on a darkling plain swept with confused alarms of struggle and light, where ignorant armies clash by night.”

How about going with something a little lighter but dark around the edges, like Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” (“let us stop talking falsely now, the hour’s getting late”) — or else “Desolation Row,” even if Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot are “fighting in the captain’s tower.” Funny, as much as Allen Ginsberg admires Dylan, he complains about that line on allenginsberg.org because “Eliot and Pound were friends.” Hey, this is Bob Dylan, this is what he does, he mixes things up, so does Pound, who didn’t ride to the rescue of The Waste Land with gentle suggestions: he struck the lance of his pen deep into the heart of the first page. Otherwise we’d have something called  He Do The Police In Different Voices.

OK, we’ll mix vintage Ezra with some buoyant electric bass from the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh, who died late last month. Lesh’s playing on “Dark Star” and “Alligator” kept me going as I tried to read The Cantos and early troubadour poems like “Na Audiart,” which reads like a verse translation of Lesh’s bassline, with the Dead putting the pulse of life into Pound’s refrain “Audiart, Audiart.” more

New Jersey Symphony Opens Princeton Classical Series with Music of Three Centuries

By Nancy Plum

It is not easy to find a connection among composers from Mexico, Austria and Russia, but New Jersey Symphony brought these three cultures together this past weekend with its opening concert of the 2024-25 Princeton series. Led by Music Director Xian Zhang, the Symphony successfully wound a musical thread through the works of contemporary Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz, 18th-century Austrian Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and 19th-century Russian Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

The key to the three pieces performed Friday night in Richardson Auditorium seemed to be the composers’ use of winds for innovative orchestral color. In Ortiz’s Kauyumari, wind solos reflected the diverse musical influences which surrounded Ortiz in her native Mexico. The one-movement Kauyumari, commissioned in 2021 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, depicts the ancient “blue deer” rite of Mexico which allows the Huichol people to communicate with ancestors and reaffirm their role as guardians of the planet. Channeling the sounds of Latin America into a classical work, Ortiz created a piece to capture both the blue deer, with its power to “enter the world of the intangible,” and the reopening of live music following the pandemic.  more

Refugees in the U.S. Search for Family Members in “Anon(ymous)”: Lewis Center Presents a Contemporary, Stylized “Odyssey” at McCarter

Students perform Anon(ymous) by Naomi Iizuka during the final dress rehearsal in the Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center on Oct. 31, 2024. Photo by Larry Levanti

“ANON(YMOUS)”: Performances are underway for “Anon(ymous).” Presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University; and directed by Bi Jean Ngo (assisted by Matthew Cooperberg), the play runs through November 9 at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre. Above: Anon (Aabid Ismail, left) journeys in search of his family, accompanied by a variety of characters, including the streetwise Pascal (Oriana Nelson, right), a West African refugee. (Photo by Larry Levanti / Lewis Center for the Arts)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

The Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University is presenting Anon(ymous) at McCarter. Playwright Naomi Iizuka’s contemporary, stylized retelling of The Odyssey centers on two refugees in the U.S. — Anon and Nemasani — each of whom has been separated from a family member.

Iizuka’s script embraces and offers ample scope for multiple forms: drama, modern dance, and performance art — in short, much of what live theater offers. Bi Jean Ngo, director of the Lewis Center production (assisted by Matthew Cooperberg), takes full advantage of this; the polished staging makes use of often dazzling production values while ensuring that the performances are the primary focus. more

Disney Stage Musical Comes to MCCC’s Kelsey Theatre

BE OUR GUEST: Sally Graham Bethman, left, and Pat Rounds star in “Beauty and the Beast” at Kelsey Theatre November 8-24.

Maurer Productions OnStage presents Disney’s musical Beauty and the Beast November 8-24 at Kelsey Theatre on the campus of Mercer County Community College in West Windsor.

The enduring fairy tale tells the story of Belle, a spirited young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end, and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out, and if those lessons aren’t learned soon, the Beast and his house will be doomed for all eternity. more

Several Cultural Events On Rider University Stages

Rider University’s arts programs are performing in theaters on the Lawrence Township campus throughout the remainder of the fall season.

On Friday and Saturday, November 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m., the University’s dance majors present their fall dance concert in the Bart Luedeke Center Theater. The following weekend, Westminster Opera Theatre presents Die Fledermaus in the Yvonne Theater. Shows are Friday and Saturday, November 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. more

Paul Anka Presents All the Hits — His Way

HITMAKER: Paul Anka is at the State Theatre New Jersey on November 12.

State Theatre New Jersey presents singer-songwriter Paul Anka: All the Hits — His Way on Tuesday, November 12 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $49-$229.

Born July 30, 1941, in Ottawa, Canada, into a close-knit family, Anka sang in a choir, studied piano, and honed his writing skills with journalism courses, even working as a cub reporter at the Ottawa Citizen. In 1956, he convinced his parents to let him travel to Los Angeles to visit his uncle, where he hitchhiked to a meeting with Modern Records that led to the release of his first single. more

Two String Quartets Perform as an Octet

CHAMBER MUSIC: Members of the Ebene and Belcea String Quartets will join forces for a concert at Richardson Auditorium on November 13. (Photo by Maurice Haas and Julien Mignot)

On Wednesday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium, the Ebene and Belcea String Quartets will return to the Princeton University Concerts (PUC) series for the first time since 2022 and 2016, respectively.

Their program, part of the Concert Classics series, includes music of Mendelssohn and Enescu; they will bring it to Carnegie Hall the following evening. more

Benjamin Grosvenor to Appear In Princeton Concert Series

PIANIST RETURNS: Benjamin Grosvenor is back on the Richardson Auditorium stage on November 7 with a program of music by Brahms, Schumann, and Mussorgsky.

Pianist Benjamin Grosvenor will make a long-anticipated return to the Princeton University Concerts (PUC) series on Thursday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium on Princeton University’s campus.

Grosvenor last came to PUC in 2017, when he was in his early twenties; now he returns with a program of Johannes Brahms Intermezzi, Op. 117, Robert Schumann Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17, and Modest Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition. more

Folk Music Society Presents Mustard’s Retreat

On Friday, November 15 at 8 p.m., the Princeton Folk Music Society presents an evening of uplifting songs and stories with Mustard’s Retreat. The performance takes place at Christ Congregation Church, 50 Walnut Lane.

Since they first got together in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1975, Mustard’s Retreat (David Tamulovich and Libby Glover) have been performing songs and stories they enjoyed and cared about, regardless of the trends of the music industry and pop culture.

“Folk music is, at its heart, defiantly hopeful,” said Tamulevich. “We came of age in the 60s, at the confluence of Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan, and the singer/songwriter revolution. We care much more about what we do and stand for and finding that common ground with our audiences, than fame or money. This is our community of choice, and we consider ourselves so fortunate to be here.”

Tickets are $25 ($20 for members, $10 for students). Visit Princetonfolk.org.

Rye Tippet’s “At First Light” at Morpeth Contemporary

“AT FIRST LIGHT”: This oil on panel work by Rye Tippet is featured in his third solo show at Morpeth Contemporary in Hopewell. An opening reception is on Friday, November 8 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Morpeth Contemporary, 43 West Broad Street, Hopewell, has announced the opening of its latest exhibition, “At First Light,” the third solo show for painter Rye Tippet. Alongside Tippet’s paintings will be a selection of metal sculptures by fellow Bucks County, Pa., artist Justin Long, in his debut with the gallery. The opening reception is on Friday, November 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition will be on view through Sunday, November 24.

Tippet’s latest paintings are mysterious and allusive, yet involving, urging closer examination. Their surreal nature ignites viewers’ curiosity, inviting thoughts about where dreams join reality, how the past informs the present, and whether the departed commune with the living.  more

Arts Council Hosts Annual Sauce for the Goose Market

SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE: The Arts Council of Princeton’s Sauce for the Goose Outdoor Art Market, featuring unique gifts from more than 100 local and regional artisans, celebrates its 30th year on November 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Princeton.

Now celebrating its 30th year, the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) will hold the Sauce for the Goose Outdoor Art Market on Saturday, November 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Downtown Princeton.

Sauce for the Goose is an annual destination for unique, high-quality, and handmade gifts. This year’s market will feature more than 100 local and regional artisans selling their wares in ceramics, textile, apparel, jewelry, printmaking, wood, glass, painting, and more. more

“Near and Far” Exhibition at Cranbury Public Library

“CRANBURY HOLIDAY STREET”: Works by local artist Donna Senopoulos are featured in “Near and Far,” on view at the Cranbury Public Library through December 29.

The Cranbury Public Library is hosting a solo exhibition by local artist Donna Senopoulos through December 29. Entitled “Near and Far: From NJ to Florida in Watercolor,” the collection includes scenes from locales such as Cranbury, the Jersey Shore, and Fort Myers, Fla. The artwork is primarily watercolor-based medium on paper, canvas, and wood, and also includes mixed media with pen or pencil, and metallic foils. All artwork is for sale. more

ACP Presents McDonnell’s “The Super Hero’s Journey”

“NO TIME TO EXPLAIN”: This acrylic and mixed media work is featured in “The Super Hero’s Journey,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Princeton resident Patrick McDonnell, on view November 9 to December 7 in the Arts Council of Princeton’s Taplin Gallery. A gallery opening is on November 16 from 3 to 5 p.m.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) will present “The Super Hero’s Journey,” a solo exhibition of paintings by artist Patrick McDonnell, November through December 7 in the Taplin Gallery. McDonnell, a Princeton resident, has entertained audiences for 30 years with MUTTS, his internationally syndicated comic strip. For the first time on the East Coast, he will display his large modernist paintings.

McDonnell’s works, created with acrylic latex, oil stick, ink, and collage, are a continuation of the story of self-discovery told in his graphic novel, The Super Hero’s Journey, created for Marvel and Abrams Books.  more

Photography Exhibit at Lakefront Gallery

The Princeton Photography Club, in conjunction with Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) University Hospital, Hamilton, is presenting an exhibit of four local photographers as part of its Spotlight Series. The exhibit is on view at the Lakefront Gallery November 7 to January 29, 2025, with an opening reception on November 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public.

The works of the four photographers in the exhibit span a wide range of styles and themes. Ernestine Ruben’s “Layers,” Gerrit Dispersyn’s “Liquid Spheres,” Jill Mudge’s “Seascapes.” and Julie Tennant’s “Simply Portraits” present a fascinating and diverse body of work including landscapes, macro photography, and intimate visions of the sea. more

Three New Exhibitions at Gallery 14 in Hopewell

“NATITO”: This photograph by Rebecca DePorte is featured in “Walk on the Wild Side,” on view at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell through November 24.

Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell now presents photography exhibitions by members Rebecca “Becky” DePorte and Charles Miller, as well as paintings by the Watercolor Women of Galley 14, on view through November 24.

Works by DePorte can be seen in “Walk on The Wild Side.” New to Gallery 14, she is an award-winning photographer specializing in wildlife. Her photographs have been published in USA Today, FotoNostrom, BirdWatching magazine, Gardener’s Journal, and Backroads catalog. Deportre has taught Wildlife Photography at Princeton Adult School. Her favorite subjects are animals with fur or feathers, and her exhibition features the animals she has photographed in Africa, India, and the U.S. more

Opportunities for Relaxation and Exercise are Available at Princeton Yoga & Wellness

EXERCISE AND EMPATHY: “Yoga, and sharing this gift with others, has been among the greatest gifts of my life, and at the heart of my healing journey,” says Andrea Sacchetti. A yoga therapist, registered yoga teacher, and the founder and director of Princeton Yoga & Wellness, she is shown in the studio’s welcoming area for new students.

By Jean Stratton

These are challenging times, as nearly everyone is quick to point out. Worries over politics, bank accounts, negative social media, AI, kids’ anxiety and depression  —and more  — all abound.

Not everyone can take time to go sailing, spend a few weeks at a beach resort, or visit other stress-free (hopefully) locations.

Another opportunity, however, and closer at hand, is yoga. A proven method to offer stress relief and at the same time provide both exercise and empathy, it has become a popular means for many to enjoy quiet moments away from that ubiquitous “To-Do List.”

Princeton Yoga & Wellness at 88 Orchard Road in Skillman is such an opportunity. Founded by yoga therapist and yoga teacher Andrea Sacchetti in March 2024, it offers private sessions, group classes, and special events. more

With Senior Defender Brown Playing Through Pain, PU Women’s Soccer Tops Columbia, Will Host Ivy Tourney

ON THE MARK: Princeton University women’s soccer player Ryann Brown, left, marks a foe in recent action. Last Saturday, senior defender Brown helped Princeton blank Columbia 1-0 to clinch the outright Ivy League regular season title and the right to host the Ivy postseason tournament this weekend. The top-seeded Tigers, now 12-4 overall and 6-1 Ivy, will host fourth-seeded Harvard in an Ivy semifinal contest on November 8 with the victor advancing to the final on November 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Ryann Brown may have felt a little knee pain before the Princeton University women’s soccer team played at Columbia last Saturday.

That pain was forgotten in Princeton’s 1-0 win over the Lions that clinched the outright Ivy League regular season title for the Tigers and right to host the Ivy postseason tournament this weekend. more

Junior Star Lee Triggers Offense Down the Stretch As PU Men’s Hoops Rallies to Top Iona 81-80 in Opener

OPENING SALVO: Princeton University men’s basketball Xaivian Lee dribbles upcourt last Monday as Princeton hosted Iona in its season opener. Junior guard Lee tallied a game-high 27 points as Princeton overcame a 58-42 second half deficit to pull out an 81-80 win over the Gaels. In upcoming action, Princeton faces Duquesne on November 8 in the Jersey Jam at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton and then plays at Northeastern on November 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

There was plenty of hype surrounding the Princeton University men’s basketball team as it headed into its season opener against Iona last Monday night at Jadwin Gym.

The Tigers were a nearly unanimous selection as the favorite in the Ivy League Preseason Poll. NBA scouts have flocked to their practices and the squad’s two junior stars, Caden Pierce and Xaivian Lee, were both included in the ESPN Preseason Top 100 players. Some media outlets have been forecasting the Tigers as a potential single-digit seed in the NCAA tournament. more

With Syer Taking the Helm of PU Men’s Hockey, Tigers Looking to Tighten Up Things Defensively

NEW DAY: Princeton University men’s hockey player Noah de la Durantaye controls the puck in a 2022 game. Senior star defenseman de la Durantaye figure to spearhead things along the blue line this Princeton. The Tigers open their 2024-25 campaign by hosting Harvard on November 8 and Dartmouth on November 9 as new Princeton head coach Ben Syer makes this debut behind the bench for the program. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

During his 13-year tenure as an assistant coach for the Cornell University men’s hockey team, Ben Syer helped the Big Red consistently rank as one of the top defensive squads in the country.

Cornell averaged 2.21 goals allowed-per-game, ranking third among all Division I programs over the past 13 seasons. In addition, the Big Red ranked in the top ten in in scoring defense nine times and twice led the country in that statistic (2017-18, 2023-24). more

PU Football Digs Early 28-0 Hole Against Cornell, Rally Falls Short as Tigers Lose 49-35, Now 2-5

By Bill Alden

Before the Princeton University football team even took the field against visiting Cornell last Saturday, it was fighting an uphill battle.

“We went out to practice Tuesday and we had 38 guys on the injured list,” said Princeton head coach Bob Surace. “We lost five from the last play on Tuesday through Wednesday. We got one back so we had 42 on Thursday. I just had to make decisions. Some guys were playing hurt, it is can they perform better than some inexperienced guys.”

The Tigers didn’t perform well against the Big Red as they fell behind 28-0 with Cornell star quarterback Jameson Wang passing for two touchdowns and rushing for another in the early onslaught. more

Tiger Women’s Hockey Produces Shaky 2-4 Start But Freshman Alexander Emerging as a Key Weapon

MAC ATTACK: Princeton University women’s hockey player Mackenzie Alexander fires a shot last Friday as Princeton hosted St. Lawrence in its home opener at Hobey Baker Rink. Freshman forward Alexander tallied a goal in a losing cause as Princeton fell 6-2 to the Saints. The Tigers, who lost 6-3 to Clarkson on Sunday to move to 2-4 overall and 0-4 ECAC Hockey, play at Harvard on November 8 and at Dartmouth on November 9. (Photo by Shelley Szwast, provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

As Mackenzie Alexander made her debut at Hobey Baker Rink last Friday evening when the Princeton University women’s hockey team hosted St. Lawerence, she was pumped up.

“It was incredible with all the fans that came out, it was really cool to see,” said freshman forward Alexander, a native of Etobicoke, Ontario. “The atmosphere was really fun to play in. I really appreciate them coming out.” more

Making its First State Playoff Appearance Since 2014, PHS Football Loses to Winslow, Finishes Fall at 5-5

WILL TO SUCCEED: Princeton High football player Sean Wilton runs upfield in a game this season. Senior offensive/defensive lineman Wilton starred in the trenches this fall for the Tigers as they made their first state playoff appearance since 2014. Playing in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey, Group 4 Tournament last Saturday, eighth-seeded PHS fell 69-6 to top-seeded and undefeated Winslow. The Tigers finished the fall with a 5-5 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

There was a buzz around the Princeton High football team last week as it prepared to face Winslow in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey, Group 4 Tournament, making the program’s first state playoff appearance since 2014.

“The guys realized 10 years has been long time since we have been in the playoffs,” said PHS head coach Charlie Gallagher. “To be there is a tremendous achievement. The guys really rallied around the fact that they had done something that a lot of football teams at Princeton High haven’t done in a while.” more

Howes Stars as PHS Girls’ Soccer Tops Jackson, Tuning Up Before Stunning Freehold in State Opener

HOW ABOUT THAT: Princeton High girls’ soccer player Kacey Howes controls the ball in recent action. Last Thursday, junior star Howes tallied one goal and one assist to help PHS defeat Jackson Memorial 4-0. On Monday, Howes helped 16th-seeded PHS defeat top-seeded Freehold Township on penalty kicks (5-4) after the teams had played to scoreless draw through regulation and overtime in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 Tournament. The Tigers, now 7-9-3, play at eighth-seeded Montgomery in the quarterfinal round on November 7.(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Princeton High girls’ soccer team hosted Jackson Memorial last Thursday, Kacey Howes took a knock on her foot midway through the first half and had to leave the contest.

But PHS junior star Howes wasn’t about to take the rest of the day off in the team’s final home game this fall. more

Sparked by Mykhalchuk’s Playmaking, Physicality, Hun Boys’ Soccer Defeats Blair in Prep A Semis

BALL CONTROL: Hun School boys’ soccer player Sasha Mykhalchuk dribbles the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Wednesday, senior Mykhalchuk chipped in an assist to help second-seeded Hun defeat third-seeded Blair Academy 4-0 in the Prep A state semis. The Raiders, who defeated Peddie 8-4 in a regular season contest last Saturday to improve to 13-3-2, play at top-seeded Pennington in the Prep A final on November 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Sasha Mykhalchuk was downing sips of honey on the bench as he took a break in the first half when the Hun School boys’ soccer team hosted Blair Academy last Wednesday in the Prep A state semis.

When senior midfielder Mykhalchuk was on the field for Hun, he gave the squad a jolt of energy, smoothly passing for an assist in the first half and providing physical play all over the field as the second-seeded Raiders pulled away to 4-0 win over the third-seeded Buccaneers. more