2025-2026 Concerts
The James Ward Mansion
Westfield, NJ
SAT, November 15, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Romance in the Mansion
Step into an evening of sophistication and charm with NJFO’s Romance in the Mansion. Candlelight illuminates the hall as a chamber ensemble performs a program of stirring, beautifully crafted music. Guests will enjoy complimentary wine and small plates, making this an exquisite night of artistry and atmosphere.
Artists
David Wroe Conductor
New Jersey Festival Orchestra
The Presbyterian Church
Westfield, NJ
SAT, December 6, 2025 at 7:00 pm
SUN, December 7, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Drew University
Madison, NJ
Return of the Holiday Tenors
Back by popular demand! NJFO’s festive holiday celebration features award-winning tenors, special guests, and seasonal favorites in a symphonic spectacular that brings the magic of the season to life.
Artists
Guest Tenors
David Wroe Conductor
New Jersey Festival Orchestra
Guest Artist
Martin Bakari
Praised by Opera News as a "vocally charismatic" performer with a "golden tenor,” Martin Bakari continues to distinguish himself as a dynamic artist in a wide array of musical and theatrical genres. He has sung operatic roles spanning from Ferrando in Cosí fan tutte to the titular jazz saxophonist in Charlie Parker's Yardbird with companies throughout the US and abroad. As a concert soloist, he has had multiple Carnegie Hall engagements in repertoire including Messiah and Carmina Burana. Outside the classical music world, Bakari toured nationally with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra performing Marsalis' Abyssinian Mass. A Juilliard graduate and George London Competition award winner, his recording of Grigory Smirnov's Dowson Songs was featured by Opera News as a "Critic's Choice" album.
Luke Norvell
Tenor Luke Norvell, a recent graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts where he studied under Bill Schuman, is quickly establishing himself as an exciting new voice on the operatic stage. In summer 2025, he sang selections of Tosca for the Princeton Festival and joined the prestigious Internationale Meistersinger Akademie in Germany. His 2025–2026 season includes Opera Roanoke’s opening Gala concert, a role and house début as Ferrando in Così fan tutte with Sarasota Opera, his Canadian début covering the Duke in Rigoletto with Canadian Opera Company, and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Opera Grand Rapids. Recent highlights include the title role in Faust at AVA, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with Opera Roanoke, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Mozart’s Requiem, and the world premiere of Derrick Wang’s Fearless with Opera Delaware, as well as performances with Opera Philadelphia and Utah Festival Opera.
Westfield High School
Westfield, NJ
WED, December 31, 2025 at 5:00 pm
THURS, January 1, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Sieminski Theater
Basking Ridge, NJ
Broadway Through the Ages
NJFO’s signature New Year’s celebration returns with a dazzling symphonic tribute to Broadway’s greatest hits. Maestro David Wroe leads the NJ Festival Orchestra and a cast of Broadway soloists in a spirited journey through iconic favorites from America’s Great Songbook, a festive and glamorous way to ring in the New Year.
Artists
Tess Marshall
Lisa Marie Rogali
Peter Kendall Clark
Stars from the Dance Theater of Harlem
David Wroe Conductor
New Jersey Festival Orchestra
Guest Artist
Tess Marshall
Tess recently played Penny Lane in the reimagined Almost Famous alongside Tom Kitt and Cameron Crowe and is the longest- running member of the Off Broadway hit Titanique. She also made her feature film debut this summer at the Cannes Film Festival. On screen: NBC’s Ordinary Joe (Dionne) Beauty of Poverty and Sleep Paralysis. She’s the longtime frontwoman of her rock band, Clyde Frog, with a new self- titled album streaming now. Offstage, Tess is a passionate vocal technique and acting coach, helping artists find their voices and deepen their craft. Learn more at tessmarshall.com.
Lisa Marie Rogali
Award-winning American mezzo-soprano Lisa Marie Rogali has been praised for her “warm, nuanced voice” and captivating stage presence, showcasing exceptional versatility across opera, musical theatre, and concert music. This season, she returns to Virginia Opera to debut as Angelina in La Cenerentola, brings her magnetic Carmen to Toledo Opera and Gulfshore Opera, and appears with Detroit Opera as the Offred Double in The Handmaid’s Tale. On the concert stage, she joins the Asheville Symphony for Mozart’s Requiem and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra for Handel’s Messiah. Recent highlights include her celebrated title-role début as Carmen with Virginia Opera and Florentine Opera, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Sarasota Opera and Central City Opera, and performances with South Florida Symphony as the alto soloist in Messiah and Paquette in Candide.
Peter Kendall Clark
Peter Kendall Clark smoothly crosses over from contemporary and traditional opera to musical theater and concert works. He is frequently in demand for his Older Thompson in Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied, which he has sung to great acclaim all over the country. This fall, he adds the title role of Gianni Schicchi to his repertoire at Tricities Opera. Recent career highlights include the Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance (Charlottesville Opera), Malatesta in Don Pasquale (Union Avenue Opera), Harry Easter in Street Scene (Virginia Opera) and MacHeath in The Threepenny Opera (Syracuse Opera). His many theater roles include Frank Butler, Henry Higgins, King Arthur, Sweeney Todd, Harold Hill, Fredrik Eggerman, and El Gallo. Beginning in May of 2020, his nightly stoop concerts in Brooklyn garnered global media attention (“the hottest ticket in town”- New York Post); as the ‘Brownstone Baritone’ he continues to perform his cabaret concerts in Brooklyn Heights and around the country.
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THURS, January 1, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Lincoln Center
New York City, NY
Salute to Vienna
NJ Festival Orchestra members join musicians and singers to present a musical journey where Vienna’s timeless melodies, costumes, and wonderful waltzes converge for an unforgettable New Year’s celebration.
Artists
Nir Kabaretti Conductor
New Jersey Festival Orchestra
The Presbyterian Church
Westfield, NJ
SAT, May 30, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Ode to Joy
Experience an unforgettable evening of transcendent music and international artistry. Slovak guitarist Karol Samuelčík, presented in collaboration with the Slovak-American Cultural Center, performs Rodrigo’s luminous Fantasía para un gentilhombre, a graceful homage to Spanish baroque traditions. The program concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, whose iconic “Ode to Joy” resounds as a powerful anthem of unity, hope, and shared humanity.
Artists
Karol Samuelčík Guitarist
David Wroe Conductor
New Jersey Festival Orchestra
Program
Rodrigo Fantasía para un gentilhombre
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Guest Artist
Karol Samuelčík
Slovak guitarist Karol Samuelčík has performed across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, appearing as a soloist with top orchestras and in prestigious venues such as London’s Purcell Room and the Shenzhen Concert Hall. A prizewinner of numerous international competitions, he is also an educator at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Bratislava. Karol has released three acclaimed CDs and collaborates regularly with leading musicians and ensembles. A frequent participant in international festivals and masterclasses, he is recognized for his research into guitar technique and has published a landmark book in 2022. His appearance is presented in collaboration with the Slovak-American Cultural Center (S-ACC), highlighting his ongoing ties to the global Slovak artistic community.
