New Jersey Symphony Presents Tchaikovsky and Sibelius Works Inspired by THE TEMPEST, Now thru 1/27

Following the stunning Mahler 9 concerts that closed the NJSO season in June 2012, Lacombe returned to the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden to lead performances of Puccini's La bohème starring Roberto Alagna and Angela Georghiu.

In the 2012-13 season, Lacombe conducts the Opéra de Nice in an all-orchestra program and leads subscription weeks with the symphony orchestras of Québec, Toledo and Montreal, the last in a program of Bernstein and Debussy with pianist Kirill Gerstein; he also makes his Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra debut. He returns to the Deutsche Oper Berlin to lead Carmen and to the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris for a performance of Les Pêcheurs de Perles with Alagna.

In recent seasons, Lacombe made his debuts with the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden and at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich. He led Turandot and Les Contes d'Hoffmann for Opéra de Monte-Carlo and Der fliegende Holländer, Eugene Onegin, Carl Orff's Gisei - Das Opfer, Un Ballo in Maschera, Zemlinsky's Der Traumgörge and concert performances of Waltershausen's rarely heard Oberst Chabert, all at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Oberst Chabert was released as a live CD by CPO in 2011. Lacombe led the world premiere of John Estacio's Lillian Alling at the Vancouver Opera, where he has also led productions of Roméo and Juliette and La traviata.

Lacombe has conducted at the Metropolitan Opera and at the Teatro Regio in Turin; given the world premiere of Vladimir Cosma's Marius et Fanny at l'Opéra de Marseille and has led the symphony orchestras of Toronto, Vancouver and the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. Abroad, he has conducted the orchestras in Nice, Toulouse and Halle, as well as the Orchestre Lamoureux in Paris, Slovakia Philharmonic, Budapest Symphony, Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Victoria Orchestra Melbourne and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in Madison is one of the leading Shakespeare theaters in the nation and is New Jersey's only professional theater company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other classic masterworks. With its distinguished productions and education programs, the acclaimed company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences. The Shakespeare Theatre is the longest-running Shakespeare theater on the East Coast; it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012.

Bonnie J. Monte, Artistic Director of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey since 1990, has led the company into a new era, garnering national recognition for her highly successful revitalization of the institution. In addition to directing 46 productions during her 20-year tenure, Monte has provided artistic and organizational leadership resulting in unprecedented programmatic expansion, critical acclaim, steady budgetary growth and the accomplishment of a major capital campaign resulting in the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. In 2002, she initiated a new partnership with the College of Saint Elizabeth, thereby adding a second major performance venue for the organization-the Outdoor Stage. Prior to arriving in New Jersey, Monte was a casting director at the prestigious Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City; she was previously associate artistic director at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra is comprised of some of the country's finest musicians. The Orchestra is proud to have Jacques Lacombe as its Music Director. Artistic excellence, innovative programming and community engagement are hallmarks of its mission. To best serve the people of New Jersey, the orchestra brings its programs to seven outstanding venues throughout the state. Education and community engagement programs enrich the listening experience for children and adults alike. Select performances of the NJSO are broadcast regionally and throughout North America.