In a significant cultural development, renowned composer Philip Glass has rescinded the planned debut of his Symphony No. 15, "Lincoln," at the Kennedy Center. The premiere was originally set for June 12 and June 13, with Grammy-awarded conductor Karen Kamensek slated to lead the performances.
Glass, who marks his 89th birthday this coming Saturday and was honored by the Kennedy Center in 2018, issued a statement via his publicist on Tuesday explaining the cancellation. He emphasized that his symphony serves as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln, and contended that the present leadership of the Kennedy Center holds values fundamentally at odds with the themes and messages expressed in his work.
Specifically, Glass articulated a sense of obligation to withdraw the Symphony's premiere under the current administration, citing an irreconcilable conflict between the artistic intent and the institution's direction.
The Kennedy Center has yet to provide a response or comment regarding Glass’s decision.
This incident extends a pattern observed over the past year, wherein various artists such as Renée Fleming and Bela Fleck have similarly pulled back from engagements at the center. These withdrawals coincide with a period during which President Donald Trump’s appointees have assumed control of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees.
The new board members recently announced plans to rechristen the venue as the Trump Kennedy Center, echoing a broader campaign championed by President Trump against what he labels as "woke" cultural influences.
Although the venue’s exterior already features President Trump's name alongside that of John F. Kennedy, formal renaming would require legislative approval by Congress, a procedural step that has yet to be realized.