Peter & The Wolf Update
Apr 16, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Dear Friends,
On Friday, May 23, at 2:45 pm in Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall, the Princeton Class of 1970 is sponsoring a special performance of Peter and the Wolf, Sergei Prokofiev’s beloved musical folktale. Since its premiere in 1936, this timeless story of an adventurous boy and his animal friends has introduced generations of children to classical music and orchestral instruments. The program will appeal most to children aged 3 to 11 and their parents. Note that doors open at 2:15; tickets are required.
The American Classical Orchestra (ACO), through its award-winning education program Classical Music for Kids (CMK), brings this enchanting tale to life in a unique chamber arrangement by ACO Artistic Director and Conductor Thomas Crawford. Unlike traditional full-orchestra renditions, this intimate performance features eight instrumentalists—violin, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, kettle drums, and piano—each representing a character in the story.
Mr. Crawford will narrate the tale, accompanied by acclaimed mime Catherine Gasta, who will bring the story to life through expressive movement. Miss Gasta will also lead the audience in interactive mime exercises, making for an engaging and immersive experience.
Following the 30-minute performance, children and adults can participate in a Q&A session with the artists, explore the workings of their instruments, and discover the art of mime as an acting tool.
This program is free. It is now open to the Classes of 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. Click on the hyperlink below exclusive to the Class of 2000 to get tickets.
We suggest you act as soon as you can. Richardson has a capacity of 832. Four classes alone, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010, will have well more than 1500 children attending Reunions – not including their parents. There is a limit of six seats per registrant. Where more seats are needed for larger families or grandparents, additional seats are available through the University ticketing system. Contact tixhelp@princeton.edu. PLEASE exercise some restraint in the number of tickets you order, so we can accommodate as many children as possible with the limited seating available. Every empty seat could be accommodating a child, so please do not order more tickets than you expect to use.
To deepen your appreciation of the live performance, ACO encourages families to watch the ACO’s full-length film of Peter and the Wolf, produced in partnership with The WNET Group (Thirteen). The film is available for free on PBS Learning Media: Watch at https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/peter_and_the_wolf/
See you at the Reunion, May 22-25, 2025
