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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsKennedy Center dealt fresh blow as major composer cancels world premiere performance
Who is surprised by this? No reputable performer wants to be associated with trump
Kennedy Center dealt fresh blow as major composer cancels world premiere performance www.rawstory.com/kennedy-cent...
— Darbyscastle (@darbyscastle.bsky.social) 2026-01-27T17:31:12.473Z
https://www.rawstory.com/kennedy-center-trump-chaos/
The troubled and financially strapped John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts absorbed another major blow on Tuesday when legendary 89-year-old composer Philip Glass canceled the world premiere performance of his latest composition.
According to a report from the Washington Post, Glass issued a statement that his Symphony No. 15: Lincoln, which was slated to be performed in June by the National Symphony Orchestra at the center will not happen.
According to the noted composer of Appomattox and "Einstein on the Beach, the Kennedy Center, which has been taken over by Donald Trump and his allies, does not align with the message of the much-delayed symphony.
After thoughtful consideration, I have decided to withdraw my Symphony No. 15 Lincoln from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Glass wrote, using the official name that the center had before Trump added his name before Kennedys.
Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony. Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership, he added.
According to a report from the Washington Post, Glass issued a statement that his Symphony No. 15: Lincoln, which was slated to be performed in June by the National Symphony Orchestra at the center will not happen.
According to the noted composer of Appomattox and "Einstein on the Beach, the Kennedy Center, which has been taken over by Donald Trump and his allies, does not align with the message of the much-delayed symphony.
After thoughtful consideration, I have decided to withdraw my Symphony No. 15 Lincoln from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Glass wrote, using the official name that the center had before Trump added his name before Kennedys.
Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony. Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership, he added.
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Kennedy Center dealt fresh blow as major composer cancels world premiere performance (Original Post)
LetMyPeopleVote
18 hrs ago
OP
Ocelot II
(129,577 posts)1. Pretty soon they won't have any performers besides Ted Nugent and Kid Rock,
so they'll have to reconfigure the space for tractor pulls and monster truck rallies.
MagickMuffin
(18,136 posts)2. How dare you not to mention Lee Greenwood
Proud to be an American, yes indeed!
Brother Buzz
(39,670 posts)3. And MMA cage matches
Sorta off topic and very disturbing, but I drove deep into the weeds viewing Mark Twain awards and noticed all the Kennedy Center YouTube videos have been rebranded The Trump Kennedy Center!
https://m.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=mark+twain+prize
hurl
(1,040 posts)4. As a Philip Glass fan
I'm really pleased to see this. Though not to most people's taste, Einstein on the Beach changed music for me.