Richardson Auditorium in Princeton
68 Nassau Street , Princeton, New Jersey 08544
The music envelops you in this intimate space, located on the Princeton University campus, directly across from Palmer Square in downtown Princeton.
For tickets to Richardson Auditorium events not involving the New Jersey Symphony, call 609.258.5000.
Subscribe and Save!
Subscriptions are available online and by calling 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476).
To see a seating map of the venue, select the Seating Map dropdown below and click on the map for the classical series subscription.
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Seating Map
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Safety Protocols
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Patrons attending performances are required to abide by the safety protocols of the venue. Please visit the venue's website prior to attending your performance for the latest safety protocol information.
- Full details at https://covid.princeton.edu/
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Directions
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Via New Jersey Turnpike and Route 1
Take Exit 9. Bear right after toll and follow signs for Rt. 18N and Rt. 1S. Take Rt. 1 S about 18 miles. After road dips under a railroad bridge, turn right onto Alexander Rd towards Princeton. Continue on Alexander Rd. to third light. Turn right at light onto University Pl. Take University Pl. (past train station) to Nassau St. Turn right onto Nassau St. Richardson Auditorium is behind Nassau Presbyterian Church on the right. -
Parking
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On-street parking is available near Richardson Auditorium. Parking garages are available for public parking on Hulfish St. and Chambers St. surrounding Palmer Square.
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Public Transportation
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New Jersey Transit provides service to Princeton. For rail timetables, visit www.njtransit.com.
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Accessibility
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For information on venue accessibility, visit the venue’s website or call Richardson Auditorium's Box Office at 609.258.9220. If your venue accessibility question is not answered through the venue, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra would be happy to assist. Call New Jersey Symphony Patron Services at 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476).
Additional information on accessibility at New Jersey Symphony concerts.
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Dining & Drink
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The Dinky Bar & Kitchen
A onetime train station offering beer, cocktails & small & large American plates amid rustic decor.
94 University Pl., Princeton, NJ—609.423.2188- Pre-concert or post-concert dinner on Friday
Mediterra Restaurant & Bar
Busy spot for seasonal Med fare in a rustic-chic setting, plus an extensive wine list & a patio.
29 Hulfish Street Princeton NJ 08542—609.252.9680- Pre-concert dinner on Friday
Elements
Local, sustainable ingredients are used to create New American cuisine at this upscale eatery.
66 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ 08542—609.924.0078- Pre-concert dinner on Friday
Other nearby options
The Alchemist & Barrister Restaurant & Pub
Pre or Post-concert meal venue, open late.
28 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ—609.924.5555
Winberie's Restaurant & Bar
Pre or Post-concert meal, open late.
1 Palmer Square, Princeton, NJ 08542
La Mezzaluna
25 Witherspoon St, Princeton, NJ 08542—609.688.8515
Upcoming Events
Joshua Bell Leads Mendelssohn’s “Italian”
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Joshua Bell conductor & violin
New Jersey Symphony
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Ludwig van Beethoven Egmont Overture
A master storyteller, Beethoven instantly captures the mood of Goethe’s play about resisting oppression in this taut and thrilling overture.
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Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3
One of Saint-Saëns’ most treasured concertos, this is where superstar Joshua Bell stands and lets his Stradivarius violin shine in dramatic melodies and virtuosic displays.
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Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
“The jolliest piece I’ve ever done,” wrote an ecstatic young Mendelssohn to his parents back in Berlin, after arriving in Italy and falling in love with its sunshine, sidewalk tunes, coast, and effervescent colors—all of which he poured into his Fourth Symphony.
Symphonie fantastique
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Emanuel Ax piano
New Jersey Symphony
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Allison Loggins-Hull Doublespeak (World Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Commission)
You may have seen her performing with Lizzo at the GRAMMYs, or heard her on the soundtrack to The Lion King, or loved her Can You See? performed by the New Jersey Symphony last fall. Be the first to hear our Resident Artistic Partner’s latest creation.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22
Mozart in his late 20s took a tune he wrote when he was eight and turned it into this half-hour masterpiece, the second of its three movements so moving that its first audience demanded a repeat.
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Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
Smitten with unrequited love, Berlioz funneled all his frustrations and utter mind-blowing genius into a whirlwind of orchestral color.
New Scores: The Cone Composition Institute Concert
Part of the Edward T. Cone Composition Institute
Eric Jacobsen conductor
Steven Mackey institute director and host
New Jersey Symphony
Witness the future of classical music in-the-making as the New Jersey Symphony performs works by four emerging composers selected for the Edward T. Cone Composition Institute. Institute Director Steven Mackey hosts the culminating concert, as Eric Jacobsen takes the podium.
Beethoven’s “Emperor”
& Schubert’s “Great”
Opening Weekend | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
George Li piano
New Jersey Symphony
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Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”
New Jersey favorite George Li returns with Beethoven’s final and most epic piano concerto, a work of uncommon power and passion, both heroic in scope and striking in its intimacy.
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Franz Schubert Symphony No. 9 in C Major, “The Great”
Schubert was classical music’s original tunesmith—his melodies rival Paul McCartney, Richard Rodgers, and even Taylor Swift. His songful gift is heard to maximum effect in the “heavenly lengths” of his final symphony, never performed during his lifetime.
Handel’s Messiah
New Jersey Symphony Holiday Tradition
Kedrick Armstrong conductor
Jessica Rivera soprano
Kelley O’Connor mezzo-soprano
Martin Bakari tenor
Adam Lau bass-baritone
Montclair State University Singers | Heather J. Buchanan, director
New Jersey Symphony
“For unto us a Child is born.” Our glorious holiday tradition returns with this iconic masterpiece, a classical rendition of the greatest story ever told. The majestic music—including the triumphant “Hallelujah Chorus”—rekindles the spirit of the holidays for first-time listeners and those who return each season.
Mozart & Ravel
New Jersey Symphony Classical
Valentina Peleggi conductor
Blake Pouliot violin
New Jersey Symphony
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Anna Clyne Masquerade
Originally written for the Last Night of the Proms, English composer Anna Clyne conveys a sense of “occasion and celebration.” Or, as the Berkshire Eagle put it, “Masquerade has the style and sound of an old English music hall, a little like the nostalgic sounds on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5, “Turkish”
At just 19 years old, Mozart wrote this virtuosic and sparkling concerto for himself to play (even though it wasn’t his primary instrument!). Canadian phenom Blake Pouliot brings his signature stage presence to this equally thrilling and elegant masterpiece.
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Maurice Ravel Mother Goose Suite
The New York Times recently said “Ravel wrote nothing more magical, and perhaps nothing so moving” as the final movement of this extraordinary suite—ostensibly for children, but with a complexity and emotional depth as profound as any work of art.
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Samuel Barber Symphony No. 1
In just 20 minutes and one movement, Barber’s First Symphony packs a punch well beyond its relatively short length. The first American symphony to be played at the Salzburg Festival, Barber’s singular emotional voice, which would later produce Adagio for Strings, shines through every bar.
Joshua Bell Leads Beethoven
Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Passing
Joshua Bell conductor & violin
New Jersey Symphony
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Ludwig van Beethoven Coriolan Overture
Beethoven captures turmoil and drama like few other composers. In this harrowing overture to a play set in Ancient Rome, hear the march to battle and the plea for peace in conflict with one another. Which wins out? Join us and see.
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Ludwig van Beethoven Violin Concerto
As if playing this difficult and profound work wasn’t enough, Joshua Bell also conducts from the soloist position. Among Beethoven’s most transcendent works, the violin soars and sings through the full range of human emotion.
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Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 7
Richard Wagner called this symphony “the apotheosis of the dance.” Its slow movement was memorably used in the Oscar-winning film The King’s Speech. Over 200 years later, Beethoven’s masterpiece still moves and inspires.
Xian Zhang
Conducts Tchaikovsky
Featuring the East Coast Premiere of Steven Mackey’s Concerto for Orchestra
Xian Zhang conductor
New Jersey Symphony
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Steven Mackey Concerto for Orchestra (East Coast Premiere, New Jersey Symphony Co-Commission)
Electric guitarist, alpine skier, and Professor of Music at Princeton University, Steven Mackey is a true local legend and Renaissance man. His music is whimsical, rhythmic, joyful, and always unpredictable. Be among the first to hear his latest creation, written especially for the virtuosity of the New Jersey Symphony musicians.
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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
Xian Zhang’s Tchaikovsky performances have become the stuff of legend—she wrings every ounce of passion and drama from this well-loved score.
Ravel’s Boléro
with Xian Zhang
Season Finale | New Jersey Symphony Classical
Xian Zhang conductor
Pablo Sáinz Villegas guitar
New Jersey Symphony
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Leonard Bernstein Overture to Candide
Full of glitter and gaiety, Bernstein’s effervescent overture exudes joy and optimism—the best of all possible worlds.
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Joaquín Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez
The pinnacle of the guitar repertoire, Rodrigo’s beloved concerto transports the listener to the heart of historic Spain, capturing, in the composer’s words, “the fragrance of magnolias, the singing of birds, and the gushing of fountains.”
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Alberto Ginastera Four Dances from Estancia
Argentina’s leading composer, Alberto Ginastera, wrote Estancia soon after he met Aaron Copland. This extraordinary ballet score is full of folk character, driving rhythms, and a final dance that is among the most ecstatic moments in the orchestral repertoire.
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Maurice Ravel Boléro
From the nearly imperceptible tap of a snare drum to its exhilarating climax, the slow burn crescendo of Boléro grabs hold of audiences and refuses to let go. There’s nothing like hearing it live!