Shawn Thew / EPA
The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts
Donald Trump announced the closure of the recently named Kennedy Center for reconstruction work, which will last two years. The announcement comes after the center was hit by cancellations and boycotts from artists, patrons and spectators.
The President of the USA, Donald Trump This Sunday the Social Truth that The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts or close for 2 yearsstarting this summer.
The center has been the target of successive cancellations and boycottsafter in November it was like “The Donald Trump and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts“.
Trump justified the decision with the need to transform what he called “a Tired, run-down and dilapidated center” in “the best performing arts room of its kind”.
The announcement comes following strong criticism from artists, patrons and the publicand represents a sudden turnaround in one of the most visible initiatives of his second term, notes .
In the first few weeks after taking office, Trump began to remodel the centeropened in honor of John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963, in his image. However, despite there being talk of renewals, a total closure of two years.
In recent months, Trump associated his name with the center, appointed people of your trust to manage it, including the president, Richard Grenell, and defended changes to the schedule to align with what he considers to be the tastes and sensibilities of most Americans: more “Les Miz” and less “Hamilton”.
The reaction has been relentless. Last week, acclaimed American composer Philip Glass removed Symphony No. 15, commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra in honor of Abraham Lincoln and scheduled for premiere in June.
A week earlier, the renowned soprano Renée Fleming had canceled his performance. Also the Washington National Opera announced last month the cutting ties with the centerand the other classical music anchor on site, the National Symphony Orchestra, has played to empty audiences.
In his social media post, Trum does not mention the cancellations or spectators who stopped appearingr: assistance at the National Symphony Orchestra fell 50% compared to last year.
The North American president presented the measure as yet another effort to reconstruir Washingtonafter that of the White House and the proposal for erect a large arch in front of the Washington Monument.
The Kennedy Center underwent a major renovation and expansion in 2019 under the direction of Deborah Rutterwhich came out shortly after Trump took office. Trump had already expressed dissatisfaction with this expansion, which cost 250 million dollars, stating that “built rooms that no one will use“.
The President assured that has already secured financingo for the new project, but did not reveal how much it will cost or where the money will come from. Last year, Trump managed 257 million dollars from Congress for structural repairs to the building, and its supporters consider it “saved” the center.
Trump said that the center will close on July 4thcoinciding with the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the United States, and argued that the drastic measure is necessary to safeguard one of Washington’s most important cultural institutions.
“In other words, if we don’t close, the quality of construction will not be as good, and the time to completion will be much longer due to the interruptions caused by the public at the many events taking place at the facility,” Trump wrote.
White House officials refused to clarify when the closure decision was made or whether the President intends to ask Congress for approval for the project.
A Trump’s takeover of the center has generated objections from some Democrats in Congress, who dispute his legal right to change name from the center.
On Sunday, the deputy Chellie Pingreeof Maine, the top Democrat on the House subcommittee overseeing funding for the Kennedy Center building, questioned the motivation for the closure planned in a video published on social media, suggesting that the President is just “covering up the financial disaster that created“.
“This man destroyed space“, said in. “He ruined him financially; turned it into a place where artists don’t want to perform and the public doesn’t want to watch shows.”
A Washington National Opera has already started looking for other theaters. “WNO is grateful to the theaters that have committed to being our partners in the coming seasons,” he stated Francesca Zambelloartistic director of the opera. The organization has already scheduled an opera for the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University.
