Richard Tang Yuk, executive and artistic director of the Princeton Festival and one of the organization’s founders, has left the Festival.
The Princeton Festival is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving its communities with an annual summer festival of the performing arts. Its traditional 2020 season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the organization did host a number of virtual events this summer.
“After 16 wonderful years with the Princeton Festival, I am excited to pass the reins to its next leaders and watch the Festival continue to thrive and move to the next level,” Tang Yuk said in a statement. “I will forever cherish the great experiences I enjoyed at the Festival, which is so dear to my heart. They would not have been possible without the support and commitment of our Board of Trustees.”
Gregory Jon Geehern, the Festival’s associate conductor and assistant to the artistic director, has been appointed acting artistic director. Geehern, a conductor, pianist, singer and scholar, prepared and led many Festival choruses.
“Everyone associated with the Princeton Festival is sorry to see Richard leave,” said Benedikt von Schröder, chair of the board of trustees. “He was instrumental in building the Festival into a major presence in the cultural life of our community and our region. We hope to honor him with a special celebration in the near future.”
Under Tang Yuk’s leadership, the Princeton Festival grew from two events and four performances in 2004 to 22 performances of 8 events plus 20 free lectures and workshops in 2019. Its offerings include opera, musicals, Baroque music, jazz, dance and multimedia.
For information, call (609.) 759-1979.
Princeton Festival board chair Benedikt von Schroder, left,and general and artistic director Richard Tang Yuk. (Photo by Pia Ruggles.),
