Princeton Singers will present ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’ at Trinity Church
By Keith Loria, Special Writer
Since their inception in 1982, the Princeton Singers have been performing concerts at Trinity Church in Princeton and drawn a following of devoted listeners.
When Steven Sametz came on board as the group’s artistic director in 1998, he expanded the ensemble’s repertoire, and soon it was performing everything from Bach to Schoenberg.
Another addition Mr. Sametz made was adding a program that has become a local holiday favorite, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” where the group performs traditional carols while Dylan Thomas’ classic Christmas story of misrule and mayhem in the life of a country boy in rural Wales is read by a narrator.
“‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’ is a lively, nostalgic story, full of humor and charming moments in rural family life in Wales while capturing the mood and spirit of the holiday season,” Mr. Sametz says. “It is a perfect way to enter into the holiday spirit with our audience, allowing us to present some of the best of seasonal music, both sacred and secular.”
This year, the event takes place at 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Trinity Church, Princeton and the audience can expect to see and hear the Princeton Singers joined by actor Christopher Coucill taking on the role of narrator.
Everything from “In Dulci Jubilo” to “March of the Toy Soldiers” from “The Nutcracker” will be sung during the concert.
“This performance is unique in Princeton and the region. We are a small, premiere ensemble (only 16 members), the quality of the singing is superbly performed in an intimate setting,” Mr. Sametz says. “It is a delightful, heart-warming story, read beautifully by Chris Coucill, and it will bring joy and delight to all who join us for it. It is the perfect way to begin the holiday season and get into the holiday spirit.”
The group has produced “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” for eight years. It was chosen, Mr. Sametz says, because Dylan Thomas’ prose-poem charmingly captures the holiday spirit.
“We believe we are the only group that regularly presents this program in our area and it seemed the perfect choice for us and for Princeton,” he says. “This is the only performance that we give as a group, but all of our singers sing with other choirs and groups which perform throughout the season, many as featured soloists.”
The Christmas season is the perfect time to get out and enjoy a festive atmosphere with the family, and this event has been a family favorite for a long time.
“As part of the Princeton community, the Princeton Singers enjoys participating in seasonal events and Christmas is a time of year that is full of music,” Mr. Sametz says. “Singers as well as audiences love the festivity, fun, and beauty of Christmas music and the Christmas season, so it is a great time to present a program that represents and combines that spirit. In short, it is a joyful thing for us and for our audience.”
A Child’s Christmas in Wales will be held 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13, at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, Princeton. Tickets are $25, $10 for students, and can be ordered by email at [email protected] or by calling 866-846- 7464. The program is recommended for children ages 10 and older. For more information, visit princetonsingers.org.