"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."
"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. "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."
The symphony was set for performances on June 12 and 13 at the Kennedy Center, which was recently renamed the Trump Kennedy Center. Per the Washington Post, the symphony was co-commissioned by the Kennedy Center and the National Symphony Orchestra and was initially set to premiere in 2022, but met delays. The symphony had been set to be a centerpiece of the Kennedy Center’s "250 Years of Us" programming in 2026. The symphony draws from Lincoln’s Lyceum Address, Autobiographical Sketch, Farewell Address, and other writings.
Glass is the latest in a series of performances that have been canceled at the Kennedy Center in response to the Trump administration’s leadership. Among those who have canceled since Trump was named chairman of the center’s board has been a touring production of Hamilton, the Washington National Opera, and the annual Christmas Eve Jazz Concert, among others.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced in December that the board had voted unanimously "to rename the Kennedy Center to the Trump-Kennedy Center, because of the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building. Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation. Congratulations to President Donald J. Trump, and likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy, because this will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur."
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