"President Trump overhauled the Kennedy Center's board last year, got himself elected chairman, and installed ally Ric Grenell as president. Then, in December, his handpicked board renamed the venue "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts" - slapping his name ahead of JFK's on one of the country's most storied arts institutions."
"What followed was a mass exodus. The Washington National Opera left after performing there since 1971. Composer Philip Glass, Patti LuPone, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Broadway cast of Les Misérables, soprano Renée Fleming, and many others pulled out. Then, in February, Trump announced the center would close entirely on July 4 for a two-year "renovation.""
San Francisco Ballet has voted to cancel its scheduled four-day run at the Kennedy Center Opera House from May 27-31, where it was set to perform Mere Mortals, its AI-inspired ballet. This decision follows months of controversy surrounding the Kennedy Center's leadership changes and renaming. President Trump restructured the board, became chairman, and installed Ric Grenell as president. The board then renamed the venue to include Trump's name ahead of JFK's, prompting widespread backlash from the Kennedy family and Congress. This triggered a mass exodus of major performing arts organizations, including the Washington National Opera, and prominent artists like Philip Glass, Patti LuPope, and Lin-Manuel Miranda withdrew their performances. Trump subsequently announced a two-year closure beginning July 4 for renovations.
#kennedy-center-controversy #san-francisco-ballet #arts-organizations-boycott #trump-administration #cultural-institutions
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