July 1 and 2—CASTLETON and SOUTH POMFRET—The Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO) will return to Castleton and South Pomfret this July as part of its popular Summer Festival Tour, offering a warm-weather celebration of music, community, and connection with this year’s theme: “Summer of Love.”
The 2025 tour opens Tuesday, July 1, at the Vermont State University Castleton Pavilion and continues the next night, Wednesday, July 2, at Saskadena Six Ski Area in South Pomfret, produced in partnership with Pentangle Arts. Both shows begin at 7:30 p.m., with grounds opening at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking. Audiences are welcom to bring blankets, lawn chairs, and friends for a festive night under the stars.
Conducted by Music Director Andrew Crust, the program highlights the power of love through music, blending selections from classical, opera, film, and pop genres. Works include “Romeo and Juliet” by Tchaikovsky, selections from “West Side Story,” John Williams’ “love theme,” from “Star Wars Episode II,” and bold vocal performances such as “Habanera” from “Carmen” and Nina Simone’s “I Put a Spell on You.”
Crust says the theme emerged naturally.
“We need good vibes in our world today. We wanted to do a theme on the love of community and the love of our state. Vermont is a state I love. We are trying, with this program, to spread good feelings. We love this tour and the opportunity to bring our orchestra family together. It’s one of our most warm and fuzzy programs, and there is a ton of music around this theme to build a concert on.”
The VSO will be joined by featured guest Nikola Printz, a San Francisco-based mezzo-soprano known for their dynamic range and genre-crossing ability. Crust first saw Printz perform in San Jose and was immediately struck.
“They are able to do traditional arias but also tackle an artist like Nina Simone,” Crust said. Printz will perform a technically dazzling operetta aria by Franz Lehár as well as “Nature Boy,” paired with Heitor Villa-Lobos’ “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5,” a haunting piece originally composed for soprano and cellos, reorchestrated for strings.
“Singing love songs is such a personal experience—sharing familiar melodies, poetry, and words that resonate deeply with listeners is incredibly powerful,” said Printz. “I’m especially thrilled to perform with an orchestra for a mash-up of ‘Nature Boy’ and ‘Bachianas Brasileiras’ by Villa-Lobos. I love songs that are in conversation with one another and that blend jazz and pop with classical music.”
Crust, now in his third season as VSO’s music director, recalled his introduction to the orchestra fondly.
“I came on board as one of the VSO’s final choices, and I did a week with the orchestra. I loved the area already. Meeting the musicians—it’s relaxed, and it reflects the ambiance of Vermont. The orchestra sounds fantastic.”
Crust sees the “Summer of Love” tour as a perfect entry point for newcomers. “This is a perfect opportunity to bring a friend who’s never been. It’s a show for all ages. And it’s a really great time to support your local orchestra. It’s more important than ever to come out and support the symphony.”
Each concert will also feature the VSO’s Musical Petting Zoo before the performance, offering children and curious adults the opportunity to explore orchestral instruments firsthand.
After the summer tour, the VSO looks ahead to major performances, including “Oklahoma!” in August and “East Meets West” this fall, a global program featuring music from India, Russia, and Ukraine. Crust will also conduct the orchestra’s holiday concert series later this year.
For tickets and more information, visit: vso.org.
VSO Music Director Andrew Crust
Nikola Printz
