2022-2023 Concerts
Save the dates for our summer celebrations:
Saturday, July 30, 2022 8:00pm
The Hertell Gardens at 241 E. Dudley Avenue, Westfield, NJ
USA’s Gershwin meets the French impressionists under the stars in the gardens of one of Westfield’s finest residences! Join NJ Festival Orchestra, led by Maestro David Wroe, for an unforgettable evening of glorious live music featuring masterworks by George Gershwin, Saint-Saens, Debussy and more. Bring your own lawn chairs and refreshments and enjoy a summer celebration for the entire family! VIP seating (chairs provided) available close to the stage.
Program
GERSHWIN An American in Paris
SAINT-SAENS Carnival of the Animals
DEBUSSY Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune
DEBUSSY Danse macabre
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS The Lark Ascending
featuring Brennan Sweet, violin
Artists
David Wroe Conductor
Brennan Sweet Violin
Sunday, July 31, 2022 2:30pm
Fellowship Cultural Arts Center, Basking Ridge, NJ
Save the date for for a sizzling summer celebration and glorious live concert featuring masterworks by Gershwin, Debussy, Saint Saens and more.
A virtual concert
Available on demand.
Part 2
Stars from the Broadway stage, international opera houses and Dance Theatre of Harlem return to NJFO to present the second in a series of made-for-television specials to restart the artistic engines and usher in new times. Safely filmed at the Ward Mansion in Westfield, the virtual event captures all the magic of a live performance and promises another treat for the whole family.
Produced by
Four/Ten Media and NJ Festival Orchestra
Directed by
Evan Chapman and Kevin Eikenberg | Four/Ten Media
Artists
David Wroe Conductor
Jeremy Bauner Tenor
Errin Brooks Tenor
Marissa McGowan Soprano
Dancers from Dance Theatre of Harlem
New Jersey Festival Orchestra
Program
Renowned tenor fare, dazzling dance classics and Broadway favorites.
New Beginnings Part 2
Mamma
featuring Jeremy Brauner and Errin Brooks
Besame Mucho
featuring Jeremey Brauner and Dance Theatre of Harlem
The Light in the Piazza
featuring Marissa McGowan
Beauty and the Beast
featuring Dance Theatre of Harlem
La Donna e mobile
featuring Errin Brooks
Nessun Dorma
featuring Jeremy Brauner and Errin Brooks
Cesare Andrea Bixio
Consuelo Velazquez
Adam Guettel
Maurice Ravel
Giuseppe Verdi
Giacomo Puccini
A virtual concert
Available on demand.
Part 1
Stars from the Broadway stage, international opera houses and Dance Theatre of Harlem return to NJFO to present a unique musical experience to restart the artistic engines with a message of hope, rebirth and spiritual enrichment. This made-for-television special is the first of a two part series set to usher in new times ahead with warmth and cheer. Safely filmed at the Ward Mansion in Westfield, the virtual event captures all the magic of a live performance and promises a treat for the whole family.
A free virtual event – our gift to you!
Produced by
Four/Ten Media and NJ Festival Orchestra
Directed by
Evan Chapman and Kevin Eikenberg | Four/Ten Media
Artists
David Wroe Conductor
Jeremy Bauner Tenor
Errin Brooks Tenor
Marissa McGowan Soprano
Dancers from Dance Theatre of Harlem
New Jersey Festival Orchestra
Program
Renowned tenor fare, dazzling dance classics and
Broadway favorites. LEARN MORE
Concert and recording made possible through generous support from NJ State Council on the Arts, Jerome and Helene Dreskin and John and James Ward.
SUPPORT NJFO
Despite the current challenges and everything we have all encountered in the past year, we at NJFO remain committed to keeping us all connected through music. That is why we are offering New Beginnings as our gift to you.
Our hope is that you experience the pure joy that comes from this extraordinary event and will consider making a donation to the NJFO in the amount of $25.00 or more. This will help to cover some of the expenses and enable us to continue making great music free and accessible to all.
MEET THE GUEST ARTISTS
JEREMY BAUNER
A finalist in the 2019 Metropolitan Opera National Council competition, Jeremy Brauner has a brassy rich, powerful and liquid flowing tenor. With a BFA in musical theatre from Montclair State University he began his opera career as a baritone. In 2016 he made his tenor debut as Alfredo (La traviata) with Dell’Arte Opera Ensemblé. He has since performed such roles as Mario Cavaradossi (Tosca), Ricardo (Un ballo in maschera), Calaf (Turandot). Most recently Jeremy performed the role of B.F. Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) with Ceder Rapids Opera Theatre and The Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto) with Opera North. Plans are also in the works for the role of Arrigo (I vespri sicilliani) with New Amsterdam Opera when circumstances permit.
ERRIN DUANE BROOKS
Errin Duane Brooks is quickly gaining momentum worldwide as an American tenor from Detroit, Michigan. Most recently, he sang the title role in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde with Conneticut Lyric Opera in the fall of 2019 and made his Metropolitan Opera debut, singing the role of Mingo in Porgy and Bess in 2019 and 2020. Brooks has performed with many other companies including New Amsterdam Opera, Boheme Opera New Jersey, Lyric Opera Chicago, Michigan Opera Theater, New York City Opera, Teatro Petruzelli, Toledo Opera and Utah Festival Opera. He has also had success in competitions, most recently, winning the Giulio Gari Foundation International Voice Competition. Brooks is also scheduled to return to the Metropolitan Opera for Die Zauberflöte and Strauss' Die Frau ohne schatten.
PROGRAM
New Beginnings Part 1
Trepek
I Have Confidence
featuring Marissa McGowan
Addio, sogna di Gloria
featuring Jeremy Brauner
Arabian Dance
featuring Dance Theatre of Harlem
Waltz of the Flowers
featuring Dance Theatre of Harlem
Torna a Surriento
featuring Errin Brooks
Empress of the Pagodas
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Richard Rodgers and
Carlo Innocenzi
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Ernesto De Curtis
Maurice Ravel
Oscar Hammerstein
NJFO MUSICIANS
VIOLIN 1
VIOLIN 2
VIOLA
CELLO
BASS
FLUTE
OBOE
CLARINET
BASSOON
HORN
TRUMPET
TROMBONE
TIMPANI
PERCUSSION
HARP
PIANO
Yukie Handa
Evelyn R. Esteva
William R. Frampton
Elizabeth Thompson
Richard Sosinsky
Helen Campo
Christa Robinson
Benjamin R. Fingland
Brad Balliet
Patrick Milando
Donald B. Batchelder
Mark S. Broschinsky
Barry C. Centanni
Thomas J. Mulvaney
Frances C. Duffy
Steven Samuel Beck
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